Grandpa in My Pocket is a British children's comedy-drama television series created by Mellie Buse and Jan Page and commissioned by Michael Carrington for CBeebies, the BBC's dedicated pre-school and nursery channel targeting children aged 2–7 years.
Based on the 1970s The Dandycomic adventure stripPeter's Pocket Grandpa by Ron Spencer (which itself was based on an earlier prose text story called Jimmie's Pocket Grandpa which had appeared in The Dandy in the 1940s), the programme stars James Bolam as a grandfather who owns a magical "shrinking cap", which only his 10-year-old grandson Jason Mason (played by Jay Ruckley) knows about. This cap enables him to shrink to about 4 inches tall, become a CGI-animated character, run very fast, and bring toys and objects to life. This allows him to experience many adventures which are narrated by Jason, including finding a prisoner under the floorboards, bringing a home-made robot to life, and driving Jason's toy car and biplane. The programme also stars Josie Cable, Zara Ramm and Sam Ellis, as Jason's sister, mother and father, respectively. According to the BBC press office, "Grandpa in My Pocket explores the hugely important relationship between grandchildren and grandparents by turning it on its head".[2]
Following the success of the first series in April 2009, a second was commissioned in March 2010, with a third filmed in 2011. After the third season, the series was assumed to have ended, but two years later, a fourth season went into production, and began broadcast in 2014.
The fourth season introduces some changes to the plot. Jason, who is now a teenager, has moved with his family into a windmill which they have opened as a hotel. Jason and Jemima's younger cousins Josh and Elsie (played by Harvey Thorn and Sezen Djouma) have come to stay for the summer, and the two become the series narrators as Grandpa decides to let them in on the secret of the shrinking cap.[3]
Production
The first three series of the show was set in the fictional location called "Sunnysands". The exterior scenes were filmed on location in the towns of Southwold and Aldeburgh, in Suffolk.[citation needed] The Masons' house was in Crabbe Street, Aldeburgh. The pier and the lighthouse were in Southwold. The bike and other shops were in Walberswick.[citation needed]
Grandpa Jeremy Mason (James Bolam): Jason's maternal grandfather, is what most people see as an ordinary Grandpa, but he is in possession of a magic shrinking cap.
Jason Mason (Jay Ruckley): the main character for the first three series. He was 10 years old, he alone had knowledge about Grandpa's shrinking cap and had to deal with the trouble it led to.
Joshua "Josh" Mason (Harvey Thorn): Jason and Jemima's younger cousin and Elsie's older brother.
Elsie Mason (Sezen Djouma): Jason and Jemima's younger cousin and Josh's younger sister.
Julie Mason (Zara Ramm), known as Auntie Jules to Josh and Elsie: Jason and Jemima's mother, Christopher's wife and Grandpa's daughter.
Christopher Mason (Sam Ellis), known as Uncle CJ to Josh and Elsie: Jason and Jemima's father, Julie's husband and Grandpa's son-in-law who works in a bicycle shop. He is quite forgetful and is a typical clueless dad.
Jemima Mason (Josie Cable): Jason's older sister. In the fourth series, she has begun a fashion course.
Great Aunt Loretta (Susan Jameson): Grandpa's bossy, mean and loudmouthed younger sister who often comes to stay, cooks disgusting food, like sausages and sardine sauce, and kipper and marmalade sandwiches, and constantly drinks spinach and sprout shake (nicknamed Green Gloop).
Beowulf (Tinkerbell), also known as Wolfy: Grandpa's Yorkshire Terrier.
Series 1–3
Mr Whoops (Steve Elias): The accident-prone owner of Sunnysands Toyshop.
Troy (Shaheen Jafargholi): The spiteful and rude neighbour of the Mason family. He only appeared in Series 1.
Troy's dad (David Davies): He only appeared in one episode of Series 1.
Miss Smiley (Lorna Laidlaw): The happy-go-lucky owner of the Sunnysands cafe.
Mr Liker-Biker (Phil Gallagher): The optimistic local biker who is more interested in the gear than actually cycling.
Lady Prigsbottom (Liza Goddard): A highly demanding, rich and posh woman.
Princess Purpelovna (Rula Lenska): A celebrity film star.
Igor (David Kendall): Princess Purpelovna's chauffeur.
In the United Kingdom, the first season was released on DVD by Warner Home Video from 2010 to 2011, with Decode Enterprises securing the deal in July 2009.[7]
Abbey Home Media handled DVD distribution rights to the second and third seasons.
References
^ a b"CBeebies unveils preschooler first".
^"Family, friends and musical fun on CBeebies". BBC. 8 August 2007. Retrieved 16 February 2009.
^"James Bolam returns in new series of Grandpa in My Pocket on CBeebies". BBC. 1 January 2014. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
^Grandpa in my Pocket | FULL EPISODE | Magic in the Air | Series 1 | Art class | Kids TV | funny kids, 6 July 2018, retrieved 15 February 2024
^"Grandpa in My Pocket | FULL EPISODE | Sunnysands Shelter for Bella la Belter | Series 5 | Kids TV". YouTube. 19 November 2019.
^"British Academy Children's Awards". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
^"DECODE signs U.K. Licensing, DVD Partners for Grandpa in My Pocket".