The Worst Witch Season 5 - Will It Ever Happen?

Although every new fictional tale about witches and wizards may seem derivative of "Harry Potter," the world of fantasy was a rich place long before we met the boy who lived. "The Worst Witch" is a great example. This delightful series of novels, penned by Jill Murphy, first hit shelves in 1974. It's been adapted a number of times in the ensuing years, gaining new fans with every iteration.

The most recent adaptation is a co-production between the CBBC, ZDF, and Netflix. Like other takes, this "Worst Witch" follows a group of young witches who attend Cackle's Academy, where they learn spellcasting, potion-crafting, and broomstick-piloting. It centers around Mildred Hubble, a scholarship student with a talent for trouble and a big heart. Since its debut in 2017, "The Worst Witch" has picked up a dedicated following. It spans four seasons, the last of which hit the small screen in 2020. Can fans expect a Season 5? That's what we're here to find out. Here's everything we know about "The Worst Witch" Season 5.

The girls of Cackle's Academy graduate after concluding their fifth year of study. As each season of "The Worst Witch" chronicles one year of Mildred's education, a fifth season would capture her final year, and likely conclude the show. 

It would make sense, then, for "The Worst Witch" to return for one more season. In fact, it feels a little strange to think of it not reaching that milestone. Imagine "Harry Potter" concluding with just six books, or "The Lord of the Rings" leaving off "The Return of the King." But as of this writing, neither Netflix, the CBBC, nor ZDF have announced a fifth season. 

There could be many reasons for this. Like many shows, "The Worst Witch" was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, multiple years have passed since Season 4 aired, which means its young actors have aged out of their roles and moved onto new projects. "The Worst Witch" would either have to do some serious story editing to make their increased ages make sense, or recast every kid role to move forward. Given this hurdle — and the total silence from the powers behind the show — it seems very possible that the series might not move forward at all.

Unlike fantasy series like "The Lord of the Rings" or "Harry Potter," the conflicts on "The Worst Witch" are typically less than apocalyptic. This is a school story, and its problems are nestled firmly in that low-stakes world of homework and lessons. A fifth season of "The Worst Witch" would likely focus on how the students deal with their impending graduation. As they move towards that end point, they'd be sure to fall into a cauldron full of problems — some of a magical nature and others that are simply normal parts of growing up. 

"The Worst Witch" provides a magical twist on the coming-of-age tale, but fundamentally, it's a story about a group of young women trying to find their place in the world. They argue, they make mistakes, they come to understand their strengths, and they learn what it means to be an adult. Season 5 would likely explore these topics just as deftly as prior seasons, but with an added note of gravitas, given the characters' impending maturity.

Because "The Worst Witch" has not been officially renewed for a fifth season, there have been no announcements as to who will be in the cast. The show follows Mildred Hubble, played by Bella Ramsey of "Game of Thrones" and "The Last of Us" fame through its first three seasons, then by Lydia Page in Season 4. In addition to Page, the show also stars Clare Higgins (Ada Cackle), Raquel Cassidy (Miss Hardbroom), Megan Hughes (Maud Spellbody), Tamara Smart (Enid Nightshade), and Jenny Richardson (Ethel Hallow). 

Though "The Worst Witch" has introduced new characters and promoted background players throughout its run, the core cast has remained largely the same. If the show does return, fans will likely see plenty of familiar faces ... but maybe not as many as they might expect. A lot of time has passed since Season 4 premiered, and the young cast has done a lot of growing up. Moreover, they've gotten involved in other projects. Realistically speaking, Season 5 would have to do quite a lot of recasting to pick up where Season 4 leaves off. Adult actors like Higgins and Cassidy would be a lot more likely to stay, however — but even then, nothing's guranteed.

A wide variety of talented people direct and write "The Worst Witch." Were a Season 5 to happen, we can make a few strong guesses as to who would return in these capacities. Dirk Campbell, Dermot Boyd, Lindy Heymann, and Brian Grant have all directed a number of episodes of the series. Campbell is the most prolific, having helmed 18 episodes. He's been busy working on shows like "Biff & Chip" and "Hollyoaks" in the years since Season 4 debuted, but we're willing to bet he'd make time to return.

"The Worst Witch" boasts two lead writers: Neil Jones and Emma Reeves. They're penned dozens of episodes across the series. Jones has since moved on to writing for "Waterloo Road," while Reeves has worked on four separate projects: "The Demon Headmaster," "Hetty Feather: Live on Stage," "My Mum Tracy Beaker," and "The Beaker Girls." Would they return? We can't say for sure, especially when it comes to the ever-busy Reeves. But we're willing to bet they'd at least be interested.

People often compare "The Worst Witch" to "Harry Potter." While the two series have many things in common, there are more differences than similarities — especially when it comes to the intensity of content. Much has been made of the fact that J.K. Rowling's series grows up with its readers; the first few installments are whimsical all-ages adventures, while the last few are far weightier. Appropriately, the final four cinematic adaptations are rated PG-13.

This is not the case with "The Worst Witch." Mildred Hubble's adventures are appropriate for young fans all the way through, netting the series a TV-Y7 rating. If Season 5 comes to pass, it's pretty much certain that it'd be labeled TV-Y7 as well. This rating denotes a work that contains some level of risk, peril, and violence, albeit of the least dangerous sort. Oftentimes, said violence is outright comedic. A TV-Y7 work isn't necessarily suitable for preschool-aged kids, but it's A-OK for youngsters beyond that stage. Thus, "The Worst Witch" remains a solid watch for the whole family.

Want to watch "The Worst Witch"? You're in luck — if you're a Netflix subscriber, that is. The fantasy series is only available to stream on that platform. So many people subscribe to the streamer that this makes it widely available. But if you eschew Netflix, it's significantly tougher to enjoy the series.

It is not, however, completely impossible. DVDs of "The Worst Witch" Season 1, Season 2, Season 3, and Season 4 are available to purchase on Amazon. Beyond that, however, you're pretty much out of luck. "The Worst Witch" calls Netflix home, and that's where it's likely to stay.