
Filming on CBBC's new drama series
Wizards Vs Aliens has started at the BBC's Roath Lock Studios in Cardiff and around the area.
Created by
Russell T Davies and
Phil Ford, it stars
Scott Haran as Tom Clarke and
Percelle Ascott as Benny Sherwood,
pictured right, who join forces to fight the alien Nekross race.
The series of 12 half-hour episodes, which combine magic and sci-fi, will air on CBBC in the autumn and will also feature
Annette Badland,
Michael Higgs,
Jefferson Hall, and
Gwendoline Christie.
Don Gilet and
Nina Sosanya make guest appearances as Benny's parents.
Tom Clarke is a seemingly ordinary boy who loves football. He lives with his dad, Michael, and grandmother, Ursula, in an ordinary house in an ordinary street - but there's something different about Tom. He has an astonishing secret - his family are wizards! When the alien Nekross arrive on Earth hungry for magic there's big, big trouble in store for all wizardkind.
With the help of his friend and science super-brain Benny, Tom must stop them - but will these two unlikely heroes succeed or will the Nekross devour all the magic on Earth, with disastrous results for the whole planet?
The show underwent a
change of name before filming. During an interview on
20th March by BBC Radio Wales's Roy Noble, Davies said somewhat disparagingly:
It was called Aliens Vs Wizards until a lawyer stepped in, but there we go. By Easter it will probably be called Chickens Vs Rabbits or something.
It fills a gap in children's TV left by the end of
The Sarah Jane Adventures and is produced by BBC Cymru Wales in association with FremantleMedia Enterprises. The executive producers are
Russell T Davies,
Bethan Jones, and
Gina Cronk for the BBC, and
Bob Higgins and
Sander Schwartz for FremantleMedia Enterprises. The producer is
Brian Minchin and co-producer
Phil Ford.