Adventure Weekly

Adventure Weekly was the title of a junior newspaper created and run by five young, ambitious reporters: Peter Perkins (Brent Oldfield – Z Cars), Andy Rogers (Len Jones - Follyfoot), “Tubby” Taylor (Ian Ellis – Blake's 7), “Swot” English (Frank Barry - Jennings), and later Frederica—known as Fred (Elizabeth Dear – Enemy at the Door). The series followed their energetic newsgathering exploits across thirteen episodes, which ranged from tracking down a gang of post-office robbers to reporting on an unexploded Second World War bomb.

The paper originated with four boys. Its boss, owner, and Editor-in-Chief was twelve-year-old Peter Perkins, the imaginative son of the proprietor of the local paper, the Cliffsea Recorder. Peter’s highly developed imagination—responsible for past misadventures such as the notorious camel-ride incident recalled in Episode One—also gave him an instinctive sense for a good story and where to find it. As the natural leader, Peter’s word usually stood unless someone produced a better plan.

Sports coverage fell to Tubby Taylor, the well-padded Sports Editor whose enthusiasm for athletics flourished best from a comfortable seat. His unwavering devotion to Cliffsea United, the town’s football club, led Adventure Weekly to one of its most celebrated scoops.

“Swot” English contributed news from the surrounding schools, often submitting pieces about teachers so outrageous that only Adventure Weekly dared publish them. Though generally the most serious-minded of the group, Swot could fight far better once his glasses were off—even if he could see far less.

Rounding out the original team was Andy Rogers, a combative boy with encyclopaedic mechanical know-how. He always seemed to understand the inner workings of jet engines, transistor radios, and nuclear reactors—subjects that frequently confounded adults. Andy also owned a high-quality camera and served as the paper’s official photographer. His images often headlined major stories, and if some pictures emerged blurred or crooked, it merely testified to the excitement of the moment.

The boys initially struggled to accept Fred, who arrived later and had an unfortunate habit of outperforming them at most things. However, after she guided them to one of their most significant front-page exclusives, she became an indispensable member of the team.

The children were granted space within the offices of the Cliffsea Reporter, a struggling publication with a dwindling readership and the looming threat of closure. Its fortunes shifted when it was purchased by Lord Huntingford (Dallas Cavell - Crossroads), a London-based newspaper magnate. Yet even under new ownership, Adventure Weekly faced losing the Reporter’s support—until the young journalists mounted a successful campaign to preserve it. In doing so, they secured not only their newspaper’s future but also uncovered their biggest story yet.

The series, which was made in black and white and filmed in the Seaford/Newhaven area, began as a seven-part children’s drama devised by the late Shaun Sutton, who later became the BBC’s Head of Drama. When the run was expanded by six more episodes, Sutton—overcommitted to other projects—brought in Victor Pemberton to write the additional scripts. It was Pemberton’s first assignment for the BBC, and he recalled it fondly: although the idea was far from revolutionary, he found the characters and concept highly appealing, valued the experience it offered, and cherished the opportunity to work with Joan Hickson (Miss Marple), later famed for playing Miss Marple.

Sutton also played a pivotal role in shaping Doctor Who, having cast Patrick Troughton in the title role before choosing Jon Pertwee as his successor. Pemberton’s career remained closely connected with Doctor Who, and the series was directed by another Who stalwart, Barry Letts. Additional episodes were written by Ian Shurey and P. J. Hammond, the latter of whom subsequently created the science-fiction series Sapphire & Steel.