Interview with Ella Bright

The series is set in post-war Britain on the sun-drenched cliffs of the Cornish coast and explores a nostalgic world of midnight feasts, lacrosse, pranks, a mystery ghost and lasting friendships. Both aspirational and inspirational, the show has also been given a contemporary twist telling the story of universal experiences such as shifting cliques, FOMO, bullying, crushes, peer pressure, and self-doubt. The girls keep an eye on each other and, like a family, are forever connected by their shared experiences. The series opens with 12 year-old Darrell Rivers settling into her first day at Malory Towers. She is always in the thick of things and her hot temper causes her lots of problems. But she is also a responsible, hard-working girl and very popular, much to the annoyance of Gwen, who is also new to the school and jealous of Darrell’s popularity and friendships.

In awe of Malory Towers, Darrell keeps her past at her old school, St. Hilda’s, a closely guarded secret but with Gwen on the case will it come back to haunt her? Malory Towers has exploits and excitement around every corner and Darrell’s dreams of adventure and independence are soon realised with the school surpassing all her expectations. However, Darrell quickly finds the expectations she has of herself are far harder to live up to. The first episode airs on CBBC at 5.30pm on 6 April when the full series also lands on BBC iPlayer. The series has been made for CBBC by King Bert Productions and WildBrain in association with Family Channel. It has been adapted for television by Rachel Flowerday and Sasha Hails. Darrell Rivers (Ella Bright)

Darrell Rivers is a rare combination of dreamer and doer. She is sporty, impetuous and physically brave. Full of gumption, opinions and ambitions, she’s determined to become the kind of girl who would make Malory Towers proud. Unfortunately, Darrell has a terrible temper along with a strong sense of justice, which can cause her to lash out and let herself down. Gwendoline Mary Lacey (Danya Griver) Gwendoline is spoiled, egotistical, shallow and lazy. She continually attaches herself to any girl who she believes to be glamorous or rich. Gwen believes that \"a woman’s place is in the home\" and that \"too much education can make a woman unattractive to a man\". Gwen represents the opposite of everything Darrell stands for and is jealous of her popularity and friendships. Sally Hope (Sienna Arif-Knights)

Sally initially seems cold, unfriendly and judgmental; the girls are curious but wary of her. She always has a tummy ache - which Matron diagnoses as over indulgence - but the real cause of the pain is revealed, just after Darrell loses her temper and shoves her. Darrell guiltily imagines she is the cause of Sally’s illness and, after Darrell’s surgeon father operates, saving Sally’s life, the two girls finally open up to each other and bond, forming a strong friendship that will take them through their school years and beyond. Alicia Johns (Zoey Siewert)

Impressively independent, Alicia is a ‘full charge’ pupil - left at Malory Towers by her Canadian parents the whole year round. Full of charm and fun she is a charismatic bundle of energy, clever and quick-witted. As the term progresses, Darrell learns that there is another side to Alicia - sharp-tongued and malicious. Alicia provides a steady stream of pranks for students and teachers. She’s used to ‘surviving’ and will often put herself first, even if it means being disloyal to friends. Katherine (Twinkle Jaiswal) Katherine is head of form in the North Tower. She keeps the girls in check but at the same time has their upmost respect. A girl who has grown up before her time, she knows how to have fun but also knows when to stop before things go too far. When the grown-ups aren’t around the girls go to Katherine, but her leadership is tested later in the series when she has to get to the bottom of who smashed Mary-Lou’s precious pen.

Mary-Lou (Imogen Lamb) Quiet and conscientious, Mary-Lou is the shy girl. All of the girls are fond of Mary-Lou, although at times her timid personality causes them some frustration. She adores Darrell and finds it hard to accept a bad word about her, but will never stand up for her. Spotting her people-pleasing nature Gwen tries to befriend Mary-Lou and become each other’s best friends - but Mary-Lou isn’t convinced. Jean (Beth Bradfield)

Jean is a straight talker, she’s pragmatic and loyal to her classmates - she loves to get involved in group activities. As a lacrosse player she is a big advocator of fairness and tries to uphold that in most situations. Irene (Natasha Raphael) Irene is the scatter-brained pianist. Amazingly gifted at music and maths, she is witty and fun and the sort of Malory Towers girl who will quite happily laugh at herself in a group situation. Emily (Saskia Kemkers)

Emily is kind-hearted and eager to help any of the girls when they need a hand. She does, however, have a different side to her, quiet and unassuming - she’s a girl who blends into the crowd. Miss Grayling (Jennifer Wigmore) Miss Grayling is Malory Towers’ calm and collected headmistress. She has a wise and kind nature, staff and students respect her and the decisions she makes. However, under her warm and welcoming exterior, she is deeply sad, having lost her fiancé in the trenches of WW1. Matron (Ashley McGuire) Tough, occasionally cruel, and no-nonsense, she oversees the North Towers girls. She enjoys her power and status and can be a bit of a bully. She has a very sweet tooth and a weakness for cake. If you’re in trouble - you’re going straight to Miss Grayling!! Miss Potts (Imali Perera)

Known as ‘Potty’ by the girls, but never to her face, she is the house mistress for the first form. She is intuitive, smart in the classroom and active on the lacrosse pitch, and has a no-nonsense attitude. Mam'zelle Rougier (Genevieve Beaudet) Malory Towers’ French mistress, she is glamorous but aloof, and can be sour-faced and cold. She has missed out on love and her heart has turned stony. She is a mistress who can have an awful temper and is very strict. Interview with Ella Bright

“I felt a bit pressured to create a character that people would be happy with - apart from that pressure, it was so incredible!— Ella Bright Tell us about your character. Darrell is a strong, kind and loyal character, who sometimes has a hot temper, and always seems to know what’s best. She has a big heart and always tries to do the right thing. How do other people see Darrell? People really look up to her for being such a kind, positive and happy person. They see her as a strong leader. Describe the relationship between Darrell and Gwen.

Their relationship is often quite confusing. Despite having many arguments and misunderstandings, they do have their moments of friendship. I wouldn’t call them enemies, but they do dislike each other at times. I think Darrell finds Gwen quite annoying with her spoiled ways, but at the same time can feel sorry for her. How does the relationship develop? They begin their relationship with lots of arguments but, throughout the school year, they learn to tolerate each other. Darrell begins to feel sorry for Gwen and starts to realise that Gwen’s actions come from her insecurities rather than pure meanness. Do you have any sympathy for Gwen? I do. I think she feels very pressured to have a ‘best friend’. I feel sorry for her because when she tries to build friendships her insecurities make her act out and push people away. Matron is quite scary in the programme - what is Matron like in real life? Ashley, the actress who plays Matron, is one of the funniest people I have every met in my whole life. There were some scenes where the director would ask Ashley to improvise some lines to make us laugh and it would make everyone on set practically cry with laughter.

How did you feel when you got the part? When I found out that I got the part, my mum gave me a gift and when I opened it, it was the first Malory Towers book. She didn’t need to tell me, I just knew when I saw the book that I had got the part and I was so excited and a bit overwhelmed, so I just buried my face in the book. It was a long audition process, so it was amazing to finally hear the news. How did you prepare for the role? My little sister Georgia was reading the series at the time so she was really helpful in giving me lots of tips on how Darrell should be. What was it like playing such an iconic role? The great thing about reading a book is that you can imagine the character in your own mind, so I felt a bit pressured to create a character that people would be happy with. Apart from that pressure, it was so incredible, and I feel very honoured to have had this opportunity. Were you a fan of Enid Blyton before and what do you like about her books? My whole family are huge fans of the books. My family didn’t grow up reading Enid Blyton but, since I got the role,

everyone (including my grandparents) have read the entire series. I also love the Famous Five and St. Clare’s books. What are the key themes in the series? Some of the themes in the series include friendships, bullying, growing up, and learning to become independent and standing up for yourself. Do you think those themes are relevant for girls/young people today and why? I think these are things that every young girl will probably experience growing up (the ups and the downs). Hopefully they will watch the show and can relate to the characters and what they are going through. What was it like filming with lots of other girls? Did you have a similar bond to the characters? All of my cast mates are absolutely incredible, and I feel grateful that I can call them my best friends. We had the best time filming and started bonding immediately at the first meeting. When we were away filming, it felt like we were at summer camp. It didn’t feel like work at all. If you were having a real-life midnight feast, what food would you insist on having? Definitely stroop waffles, candy floss, sweets.

How do you reflect back on making the drama? It was the most incredible experience. I have made lifelong friends and have learned so much. The directors were so kind, helpful and inspiring. I am so grateful to have been given this opportunity and will never forget this past summer filming. Why should people watch the series? People should watch it because it brings a classic, much loved book to life and, although it takes place in post-war Britain, it still covers current issues that people can relate to. It is beautifully filmed and I think people, young and old, will all really enjoy it. Darrell Rivers (Ella Bright) Darrell Rivers is a rare combination of dreamer and doer. She is sporty, impetuous and physically brave. Full of gumption, opinions and ambitions, she’s determined to become the kind of girl who would make Malory Towers

proud. Unfortunately, Darrell has a terrible temper along with a strong sense of justice, which can cause her to lash out and let herself down. Gwendoline Mary Lacey (Danya Grivers) Gwendoline is spoiled, egotistical, shallow and lazy. She continually attaches herself to any girl who she believes to be glamorous or rich. Gwen believes that \"a woman’s place is in the home\" and that \"too much education can make a woman unattractive to a man\". Gwen represents the opposite of everything Darrell stands for and is jealous of her popularity and friendships. Sally Hope (Sienna Knights)

Sally initially seems cold, unfriendly and judgmental; the girls are curious but wary of her. She always has a tummy ache - which Matron diagnoses as over indulgence - but the real cause of the pain is revealed, just after Darrell loses her temper and shoves her. Darrell guiltily imagines she is the cause of Sally’s illness and, after Darrell’s surgeon father operates, saving Sally’s life, the two girls finally open up to each other and bond, forming a strong friendship that will take them through their school years and beyond. Alicia Johns (Zoey Siewert)

Impressively independent, Alicia is a ‘full charge’ pupil - left at Malory Towers by her Canadian parents the whole year round. Full of charm and fun she is a charismatic bundle of energy, clever and quick-witted. As the term progresses, Darrell learns that there is another side to Alicia - sharp-tongued and malicious. Alicia provides a steady stream of pranks for students and teachers. She’s used to ‘surviving’ and will often put herself first, even if it means being disloyal to friends. Katherine (Twinkle Jaiswal) Katherine is head of form in the North Tower. She keeps the girls in check but at the same time has their upmost respect. A girl who has grown up before her time, she knows how to have fun but also knows when to stop before things go too far. When the grown-ups aren’t around the girls go to Katherine, but her leadership is tested later in the series when she has to get to the bottom of who smashed Mary-Lou’s precious pen.

Mary-Lou (Imogen Lamb) Quiet and conscientious, Mary-Lou is the shy girl. All of the girls are fond of Mary-Lou, although at times her timid personality causes them some frustration. She adores Darrell and finds it hard to accept a bad word about her, but will never stand up for her. Spotting her people-pleasing nature Gwen tries to befriend Mary-Lou and become each other’s best friends - but Mary-Lou isn’t convinced. Jean (Beth Bradfield)

Jean is a straight talker, she’s pragmatic and loyal to her classmates - she loves to get involved in group activities. As a lacrosse player she is a big advocator of fairness and tries to uphold that in most situations. Irene (Natasha Raphael) Irene is the scatter-brained pianist. Amazingly gifted at music and maths, she is witty and fun and the sort of Malory Towers girl who will quite happily laugh at herself in a group situation. Emily (Saskia Kemkers)

Emily is kind-hearted and eager to help any of the girls when they need a hand. She does, however, have a different side to her, quiet and unassuming - she’s a girl who blends into the crowd. Miss Grayling (Jennifer Wigmore) Miss Grayling is Malory Towers’ calm and collected headmistress. She has a wise and kind nature, staff and students respect her and the decisions she makes. However, under her warm and welcoming exterior, she is deeply sad, having lost her fiancé in the trenches of WW1. Matron (Ashley McGuire) Tough, occasionally cruel, and no-nonsense, she oversees the North Towers girls. She enjoys her power and status and can be a bit of a bully. She has a very sweet tooth and a weakness for cake. If you’re in trouble - you’re going straight to Miss Grayling!! Miss Potts (Imali Perera)

Known as ‘Potty’ by the girls, but never to her face, she is the house mistress for the first form. She is intuitive, smart in the classroom and active on the lacrosse pitch, and has a no-nonsense attitude. Mam'zelle Rougier (Genevieve Beaudet) Malory Towers’ French mistress, she is glamorous but aloof, and can be sour-faced and cold. She has missed out on love and her heart has turned stony. She is a mistress who can have an awful temper and is very strict.