Japan’s NHK acquires UK kids show ‘The Worst Witch’

Japanese broadcaster NHK has struck a deal with ZDF Enterprises (ZDFE) for UK children’s live-action show The Worst Witch.

NHK, which will dub the series using a cast of local Japanese actors, has acquired the first two seasons for its educational network E-Tele Channel.

The series is based on the eponymous children’s fictional works by Jill Murphy and was produced by CBBC Productions in collaboration with Germany-based ZDFE, its broadcast parent ZDF, and Netflix.

It follows a 10-year-old girl who discovers she has the abilities of a witch and blunders from one disaster to the next because of her clumsiness.

The show has already been acquired by Discovery Kids in Latin America and GMA in the Philippines, while home entertainment rights have been picked up by companies including Amazon in Germany.