The Worst Witch turns a familiar premise — the clumsy young student who stumbles through magic school — into something warmer and sharper than most of its genre allows. This CBBC series, now streaming on Netflix, follows Mildred Hubble as she navigates the chaos of Cackle’s Academy, where her spells never land quite right and her friends are often the ones who save her from her own mistakes.
Trailer, via CBBC.
Mildred’s World
Mildred Hubble is the kind of heroine who feels like she belongs in this world. Played by Lydia Page in seasons four, and Bella Ramsey in the earlier series, she is perpetually getting into trouble, mixing up spells, and landing in situations that look dire until her friends rally around her. The show understands that her clumsiness is not a flaw to be corrected but a defining trait, and it plays that out across every episode.
Her friends form the heart of the series. Maud Spellbody, played by Meibh Campbell and Megan Hughes, is loyal and clever, always there to help Mildred think through a problem. Enid Nightshade, played by Tamara Smart, is the other half of Mildred’s core group, and the trio moves through every adventure together. The chemistry between these three is the show’s secret weapon.
The Teachers
Miss Ada Cackle runs the school with warmth and care, played by Clare Higgins as a headmistress who genuinely believes in her students. Miss Joy Hecate Hardbroom, played by Raquel Cassidy, is the strict deputy headmistress, and her scenes carry real menace. Shauna Shim plays Miss Drill, and Kelsey Calladine-Smith plays Indigo Moon, rounding out a staff that knows exactly how to push Mildred and her friends toward growth.
The rivalry between Mildred and Ethel Hallow, played by Jenny Richardson, gives the series its tension. Their clashes are not cruel but pointed, and the show finds room for both characters to be right about their own strengths.
What Works
- The writing trusts the audience to laugh at mild disasters rather than big spectacle
- The casting delivers a full range of personalities within the school’s small ensemble
- The series stays faithful to Jill Murphy’s original books while building its own identity
Where It Falls Short
Some episodes lean on repetition, and the pacing occasionally slows during stretches of setup. The series also relies heavily on the established dynamic between Mildred and her friends, which means new threats sometimes feel like variations on old ideas rather than genuine surprises.
Streaming Schedule
| Season | First Air Date | Netflix Premiere |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 January 2017 | 22 July 2017 |
| 2 | 8 January 2018 | 27 July 2018 |
| 3 | 7 January 2019 | N/A |
| 4 | 27 January 2020 | 1 October 2020 |
The show premiered on CBBC on 11 January 2017, and a second series began airing from 8 January 2018. A third series started on 7 January 2019, and the fourth and final season began on 27 January 2020. All seasons were made available to stream internationally on Netflix, with the UK, Ireland and Germany gaining access after the series’ premiere on CBBC and ZDF.
Final Word
The Worst Witch earns its reputation as one of the better adaptations of Jill Murphy’s beloved books. It respects the tone of the source material while giving the characters room to breathe and grow, and it builds a world where Mildred’s mistakes are funny not because they are punished but because they are resolved by friendship.
The show is streaming on Netflix, and it holds up as a bright spot in children’s fantasy programming. It does not need to reinvent the wheel to entertain, and it succeeds because it commits fully to the charm of its central character and her world.
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