Enid Blyton drama shot in beautiful Dorset

A brand new BBC4 drama starring Helen Bonham Carter as Enid Blyton will be airing next week.

Blyton became massively popular from the 1930s onwards with her adventure stories including The Famous Five, Secret Seven and Mallory Towers.

Much of the countryside settings, castles and islands described in her stories were inspired by the years she spent visiting Swanage and the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset.

Even the origins of PC Plod in Noddy was said to be inspired by the local Studland Police Constable, Christopher Rhone.

Vice Chair of The Swanage & Purbeck Hospitality Association Julian Maughan says: “We are delighted that the area will gain some recognition for inspiring Ms Blyton.  Many people come to Dorset looking for landmarks mentioned in Thomas Hardy’s work, (again showcased by the BBC last year with a visually stunning adaptation of Tess of the D’Urbervilles), but Enid Blyton is probably one of the UK’s most successful children’s authors of all time.

“We occasionally have visitors who are aware of the connection but in the main most people are unaware of this strong connection with the region.  There has been an increase in visitor numbers this year and we feel that many are looking for traditional British holiday’s capturing the feel of ‘bygone’ times that are so wonderfully depicted in the stories of Enid Blyton.

Enid will be shown at 9pm on November 16th on BBC4

For more information about the Purbecks visit: www.VisitSwanage.com