Worzel Gummidge: The Complete Restored Edition is finally shipping in Blu-ray, after several delays over Christmas. Judging by the January 2023 reviews on Amazon UK, people are very pleased with the restoration. The earlier VHS and then DVD editions had really terrible picture quality despite the classic TV series being made on film. Just another example of the criminal lack of archival care given to British 1960s-80s TV shows, at a time when the UK should have been funding a proper national preservation archive. Instead it’s been largely left to the fans and collectors, who have done a marvellous job in difficult circumstances.

This rare full restoration, previewed with some screenings at the BFI and by all accounts an amazing job, is due to the discovery of the 16mm film cans by two old-TV sleuths. As one reviewer puts it…

How fitting is it that the original 16mm film negatives were discovered in a barn, after 40 years!