Stephen Fry, Victoria Wood, and Christopher Eccleston will be starring in BBC Ones’ THE BORROWERS, alongside Robbie Sheehan, Aisling Loftus, Sharon Horgan and Shaun Dooley. The Borrowers is an adaptation of Mary Norton’s classic children’s books that describe the world of the tiny Borrowers who live under our floorboards. It will be written by Ben Vanstone (Merlin, EastEnders), directed by Tom Harper (Misfits, This Is England) and produced by Radford Neville.
Arrietty Clock (Loftus), a head-strong teenage Borrower, is desperate to explore life outside her hidden family home. Her parents, Pod (Eccleston) and Homily (Horgan), are terrified of the world of the “human beans” and are fiercely protective of their daughter. Arrietty sneaks out one night and befriends James, a lonely boy who lives above her in the house with his father Robert Millman (Dooley).
James’ Grandma Driver (Wood) knows the “little people” exist. She has always known, and is determined to hunt them out of her house. Professor Mildeye (Fry) also knows of the existence of little people. Determined to restore his reputation and resurrect his science career, he’ll go to any length to capture them and reveal their identity to the world. This leads to trouble when the Borrowers’ hidden home is discovered by James’ grandmother and they are forced to abandon it and venture into the big wide world.
Spiller (Sheehan), a leather-jacketed, rebellious youth, takes a liking to Arriety. She’s not quite sure what to make of this, but when her parents are captured by the evil Professor Mildeye, she is forced to enlist both Spiller’s and James’ help. They go on a series of daring adventures to try and outsmart Mildeye and return the Clock family to their former home in time for Christmas.
The Borrowers will be filmed in the summer and will air this Christmas.
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