Productions

Grandpa in my Pocket

Live action comedy drama with CG animation special effects

52 x 12 minutes

For 4-6 year olds

If you missed an episode from Series 2, you can catch them again at weekends on CBeebies at 10.25am.

An all star cast!

Grandpa in my Pocket returned to screens on 15th February 2010 with another 26 brand new adventures and was an instant hit with fans.  This comedy drama for pre-schoolers about a boy’s everyday adventures with his mischievous Grandpa was an enormous hit with both children and adults on CBeebies when it was first broadcast in February 2009 and series 2 is set to go the same way.

Grandpa In My Pocket stars James Bolam (New Tricks) and rising talent Jay Ruckley, as his Grandson, Jason Mason and is the first series to take a fun, light hearted look at the relationship between Grandparent and Grandchild. Here is one energetic Grandpa and his imaginative seven-year old Grandson. Give Grandpa a magic shrinking cap and watch him turn into the biggest kid of the lot!

For those of you who don't know the story so far.  Grandpa lives with his family in a beautiful seaside town called Sunnysands. When Grandpa isn’t in his armchair, everyone thinks he’s gone for “a little lie down!” But they’re wrong. He has a magic shrinking cap which only his Grandson, Jason, knows about. When Grandpa puts his cap on, he becomes small enough to fit into Jason’s pocket, not to mention his toy plane and car. He turns up in all sorts of unlikely places and creates comic mayhem which Jason has to sort out. Grandpa is playful and mischievous but always a force for good. Together, Grandpa and Jason make a great team and have a host of hilarious adventures.

Series 2 also sees the introduction of two new Sunnysands residents.  Mr Mentor the Inventor played by Alan McMahon lives in the lighthouse in Sunnysands.  His inventions don't always work but with a little bit of Grandpa's magic they soon come to life. Mr Mentor not only invents things but he invents words too such as "wonderbubble", "spectopular" and "fabbadiculous".  The 2nd new resident is Floyd played by newcomer Luke Perry.  Floyd lives in the house opposite the Mason's and goes to Jason's school.  He loves boasting about his expensive stuff and regularly plays jokes on people and he always wants everything his own way.  Grandpa and Jason both think Floyd is just a big spoilt show-off.

Returning for series 2, we were delighted that Susan Jameson reprised her role as the love-to-hate eccentric Great Aunt Loretta as well as Liza Goddard as posh Lady Prigsbottom. The 2nd series also attracted the likes of Geoffrey Palmer as Grandpa's best friend Granddad Gilbert, Alex Jennings as goldfish-loving Captain Shipshape and Sanjeev Bhaskar as "expert" decorator Roger Splodger. 

 The series was again shot in Cardiff during the summer of  2009 and features animated elements and special effects.

“Comedy is one of our most successful genres amongst 4 to 6 year olds making Grandpa In My Pocket the perfect addition for the Big Fun Time zone,” says Michael Carrington, Controller of CBeebies. “The series has a fantastic cast of characters, lots of energy, and a real sense of fun. It also explores that very special relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren. Grandpa’s zest for life and his camaraderie with Jason will make for life-affirming, family viewing.”

Creators/Series Producers: Mellie Buse and Jan Page
Executive Producer: Angus Fletcher
Director: Richard Bradley and Martin Franks
Animation/Special Effects: Jon Rennie, Aron Evans and Owen Stickler, Dinamo Productions
Executive Producer for the BBC - Sarah Colclough

For further information regarding sales, merchandising and licensing opportunities please contact Jane Forbes jane.forbes@brandzoo.co.uk or Jenny Johnstone jenny.johnstone@brandzoo.co.uk at Brandzoo.

MEET THE FAMILY

GRANDPA: JAMES BOLAM

Most people probably recognise James as Jack Halford in the hugely popular show New Tricks.  His long list of television credits also includes When the Boat Comes in, Alan Plater’s wonderful Beiderbeck Trilogy, costume dramas, and hit comedies Only When I laugh, Room at the Bottom, and, of course, the classic Likely Lads.  In a very different vein, James gave a sensational performance as Harold Shipman in a recreation of his capture and trial, making him both charismatic and terrifying. Recently he appeared in Harold Pinter’s Celebration on CH4 and as Ken Lewis, CEO of the Bank of America, in the television dramatization The Last Days of Lehman Brothers.

Stage work has seen him in London’s West End, on Broadway, at the Royal National Theatre, The Royal Court, Young and Old Vics, Chichester Festival Theatre, on national and international tours and in repertory theatres countrywide. James has played Shakespeare’s Lear, Macbeth, Feste, and Touchstone.  He’s romped through farces and strolled with style through Chekov, Shaw and Coward and many other classics.  But this is the first time he’s been on CBeebies.  And it’s the first time he’s been only 12 cms tall!

In the 2009 Birthday Honors, James was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).

JASON: JAY RUCKLEY

Young Jay lives in Barry, South Wales and attends All Saints Primary School. At just eleven years of age, he is quite an experienced young professional, having appeared as Tiny Tim alongside Ron Moody, who played Scrooge, in the Wales Theatre production of A Christmas Carol, directed by Michael Bogdanov. In addition to this, he portrayed the juvenile lead role of Jeremy in a touring production of the London Palladium’s popular version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  In 2009 he played the precocious Michael Banks in the touring production of Mary Poppins when it opened at Cardiff’s Millennium Centre.

The part of Jason, in Grandpa In My Pocket for CBeebies, is his first major role for television.  Previous television experience has included a number of commercials.  When Jay is not busy either ‘treading the boards’ or appearing in front of the camera he likes nothing better than playing football, rugby or indeed any other sport, like most young boys.

MUM: ZARA RAMM

Since leaving LAMDA in 1991 Zara has toured nationally and internationally taking in Moscow, Cambodia and Jamaica. Theatre credits include, Beast and Beauties, Phaedra’s Love (Bristol Old Vic/Barbican), Macbeth (Northcott Theatre), Alice The Way Back  (Cheltenham Everyman) Tir Na Nog, Travelling Light, The Taming of the Shrew, The Tempest, Midwinters Night Dream (Oddsocks Productions).  Zara’s TV credits include Passersby, Patricks Planet, Dead Gorgeous, Afterlife 2, Being Human, Teachers, The Bill, Doctors, and The Merchant of Venice.

Zara lives in the Cotswolds with the love of her life, two children and six chickens.

DAD: SAM ELLIS

Sam was born in France and raised in Canada and East Devon, graduating from The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.  He has worked on a variety of productions in Film, Television and Theatre with film titles including A Bunch of Amateurs with Burt Reynolds, One Careful Owner with Dexter Fletcher and Denise Van Outen, Chasing Liberty with Mandy Moore and Steven Spielberg's hugely successful Saving Private Ryan, playing the role of Private Hastings. Sam's television appearances include Taggart, Eastenders, Feel the Force, Scorn, Holby City and The Baldy Man for Working Title. Theatre credits include national tours of Not About Heroes, playing Siegfried Sassoon and the title role in C.S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters as well as performances in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Taming of the Shrew and the title role in Brecht's Baal..
 
Sam lives in Bristol with his wife Heather and his young sons Jamie and Tom.

JEMIMA: JOSIE CABLE

Josie is 11 years old and lives in Bristol with her family. She has always had a passion for performing. She started dance lessons at the age of 3 and has performed in several dance shows, taking starring roles.  Josie joined Bristol School of Performing Arts three years ago, which has given her lots of opportunities to perform and gain LAMDA musical theatre and acting exams. She has done several shows including: Aladdin, (in which she was Aladdin), Annie, Fame, Oliver and performed in Doctor Dolittle at the Bristol Hippodrome with Tommy Steele.
When she’s not acting, singing or dancing Josie likes to read books and have fun with her friends.

Grandpa In My Pocket is Josie’s first television role.

GREAT AUNT LORETTA: SUSAN JAMESON

Susan’s career goes back quite a long way now!  She was in several award-winning series in the seventies and eighties, including Take three Girls, When the Boat Comes In, To Serve Them All My Days, Softly Softly, and in single plays for Armchair Theatre on ITV and The Wednesday Play for BBC.  Her career briefly took a back seat when her daughter Lucy, now a director, was born. Susan has done a lot of comedy, including several Dave Allen Shows, Rory Bremner, People like us, Hells Bells, All in Good Faith, The Likely Lads, Rings on their Fingers, Never the Twain and Wodehouse Playhouse. She has starred in several children’s serials, Who Sir? Me Sir?,  Bad Boyes, and Archer’s Goon.

Susan has worked in most of the major theatres, countrywide, in a huge variety of roles over the years from Shakespeare to Agatha Christie. Most recently she was at the Chichester Festival in A revival of David Edgar’s mammoth adaptation of Nicholas Nickleby.  Her most recent television credits include The Queen-The Life of a Monarch, where Susan portrayed the Queen during the 80’s and came up against then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Casualty (The Comic relief Episode!) New Tricks, Dalziel and Pascoe – playing Colin Buchanan’s (Pascoe’s) mother, Kid in the Corner, Close and True with Robson Green, Doctors and Heartbeat.  She also has a flourishing career in radio and audio work, and has recorded many books and dramas, including Talkie Award winners and nominations, from Lewis Carroll to Chekhov, and 46 of Catherine Cookson’s novels, unabridged!

THE GRANDPA IN MY POCKET CAST AND CREW

Main Cast
Grandpa: James Bolam
Jason: Jay Ruckley
Mum: Zara Ramm
Dad: Sam Ellis
Jemima: Josie Cable
Beowulf: Tinkerbell c/o Martin Winfield

Guest Actors
Great Aunt Loretta: Susan Jameson
Mr Whoops: Steve Elias
Mr Liker Biker: Phil Gallagher
Miss Smiley: Lorna Laidlaw
Floyd: Luke Perry
Mr Mentor: Alan McMahon
Bubbles: Elizabeth Franks
Alvin: Harry Jackson
Mrs Maridadi: Vivien Heilbron
Horatio: David Rintoul
Speedy Edie: Alex Tregear
Shanay: Paaras Bhardwaj
Dora: Maia Tamrakar
Tiffany: Flavia Cheesman
Martha: Antonia Bruce
Max: Benjamin Greaves-Neal
Izzie: Ellie Ruiz Rodriguez
Mr Scoffbucket: Oscar c/o Martin Winfield
Squeak: Tommy c/o Martin Winfield 

Guest Stars
Granddad Gilbert: Geoffrey Palmer
Lady Prigsbottom: Liza Goddard
Rodger Splodger: Sanjeev Bhaskar
Captain Shipshape: Alex Jennings

Supporting Cast
José Alford
Liam Scott
Sam Caple
Abigail Jayne Baker
Ellie Barrett
Lauren Hampton
Adiba Ndiwe
Tejan Sesay
Alexa Jones-Young
Matthew Wagstaff
Finley McLoughlin-Harrison
Marice Tomkins
Yasmin Alley
Isabella Besong
James Lin
Fern Healey
Frances Williams
James Connolly
Phil Gould
Ravinder Dosanjh
Jacqui Morris
Rob Stradling
Mandy Roberts
Ian Darlington Roberts
Bethlehem Darlington Roberts
Danielle Mountfield
William Adrian
Rahana Davies
Riana Griffiths
Dawn Cable
Jean Cable
Faye Ruckley
Stephen Cork
John Talbot

Created, Written & Produced by: Jan Page and Mellie Buse

Directors: Richard Bradley & Martin Franks
Executive Producer: Angus Fletcher
Executive Producer for the BBC: Sarah Colclough
Casting Director: Debbie O'Brien
With the participation of Finance Wales

Editor: Lindsey Dillon-Massey
2nd Cardiff Editor: Sara Jones
2nd London Editor: Will Peverett
Edit Assistant: Jonny Snelling

Composers: Kate Edgar and Matthew Dilley
Director of Photography: Dave Evans
Childrens Rehearsal Director: Lizzie Franks
Production Manager: Bryan Moses
Floor Manager: Rhidian Evans
Assistant Floor Manger: Gethin Roberts
Production Coordinator: Mooey Alibey
Post Production Coordinator: Sam Wooldridge
Script Supervisor: Rhian Owen
Production Assistant:  Ellie Cartwright            
Floor Runner: Adam Jackson-Nocher and Arwel Evans

Codex Operator: Janelle McDonald
Senior Camera Person: John Carter
2nd Camera Person: Alistair Evans
2nd Lighting Director: Alwyn Roberts
Sound supervisors: Sion Richard and Martin Gifford
Sound Assistant: Deian Humphries
Fisher Boom Op: Nick Stewart
Engineers: Martyn Roberts and Richard Nolloth
Spark: John James and Robert James

FILMED AT: Enfys Television Studios, Cardiff

Art Director: Gerwyn Lloyd
Production Design: Phil Williams
Production Buyer: Ceinwen Wilkinson and Cath Samuel
Set Dresser: Tristan Howell
Rigger/Driver: Andrew Vowels
Props Maker: Chris House
Props Assistant: Ben Morson      
Costume designers: Pat Everitt and Elizabeth Lee
Costume Assistant: Amy Taylor
Head Make-up Artist: Bethan Jones
Make-up Artist: Roz Wilkins

Dinamo Productions:
Producers: Owen Stickler and Aron Evans
Visual Effects Supervisor/Producer: Jon Rennie
Production Manger: Jonathan Edwards
Post Production Coordinator: Julia Coles
On-set VFX Assistants: Christian Lett and Sam Lewis
CG Technical Director: Llyr Williams
Lead CG Animator: Romano Marenghi
CG Animator: John Seldon
CG Artist: Richard Hopkins
Compositor: Cale Pugh, Eranga Kangara and Christian Lett
Assistant Compositors: Sam Lewis and Julia Coles