He's the greatest, he's fantastic and wherever there is danger he'll be there! He is, of course, 1980s cartoon superhero Danger Mouse, and he's on his way back to save the world. It's 22 years since Danger Mouse and his sidekick Penfold last battled the evil frog (or was he a toad?) Baron Greenback, but this week it was announced that the dynamic duo are returning to our screens, courtesy of Irish animators Boulder.
But instead of his trademark dashing eye-patch, DM will now sport an "i-Patch" (groan) filled with technical wizardly, because apparently being a one eyed crime fighting mouse who saves the world just isn't cool enough on its own anymore. Danger Mouse was, of course, voiced by David Jason, with the late Terry Scott of Terry and June fame as Penfold, but it hasn't yet been revealed who will be taking over the iconic role - Stephen Fry is the bookies' favorite to play the mousey hero.
But Danger Mouse and Penfold aren't the only heroes of our youth to return to the screen. Oh no.
Paddington, that beloved duffel-coat-wearing, marmalade-loving bear from Peru, is the hero of a forthcoming film, though this week it was revealed that Colin Firth, who was to provide his voice, is "consciously uncoupling" (his words - clearly he is joking) from the film, presumably unable to convey the right amount of marmalade worship in his voice. As Firth said, "It’s been bittersweet to see this delightful creature take shape and come to the sad realisation that he simply doesn’t have my voice. I’ve had the joy of seeing most of the film and it’s going to be quite wonderful.
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I still feel rather protective of this bear and I’m pestering them all with suggestions for finding a voice worthy of him." And the nostalgia doesn't end there - Postman Pat: The Movie (in which Pat is inexplicably voiced, for the film's songs at least, by Ronan Keating) is currently in cinemas, though I can't say I'm tempted to go.
In fact, if there are going to be any revivals of kids' TV from days of yore, I want a new Press Gang, the smart and witty 80s/early 90s show created and written by Steven Moffat, now best known as the show runner of Doctor Who and Sherlock. I can't have been the only young teen who loved Julia Sawalha and Dexter Fletcher as bossy Lynda and sassy Spike, who worked together (and fell for each other) on a teen newspaper (how I wished my school had its own Junior Gazette). Though if I'm being honest, I'd like to bring back the original cast, so I'm not sure it would really count as a kids' show anymore.
So what shows of your youth would you like to see revived? What once-popular rogrammes should stay firmly buried in the past? And were you a fan of the dashing Danger Mouse?
