He’ll be played by Dustin Demri-Burns, who you’ll recognise from a string of British comedies including Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa, Grimsby, Bridget Jones’s Baby and All My Friends Hate Me. More recently, he had a regular role as Min Harper in Slow Horses.
Lenny Henry
Best known for his long-running sketch show The Lenny Henry Show, which aired for 20 years, Lenny Henry has enjoyed a hugely prolific career. He co-founded Comic Relief with Richard Curtis and has appeared in countless TV shows and films over the years.
Henry will now bring his comic genius to the role of the Great Know-All, the self-proclaimed leader of the three Know-Alls who insist they’re wise — but are really delightfully clueless. Expect plenty of laughs!
Michael Palin
As for the second Know-All, equally pompous and clueless, we have the legendary Michael Palin. A comedy icon, Palin is best known as a member of the sketch group Monty Python, co-writing and starring in classics like Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Life of Brian, and The Meaning of Life. Since then, he’s largely focused on his celebrated travel documentaries, but we can’t wait to see him back in a comedy role!
Simon Russell Beale
The third Know-All is played by Simon Russell Beale, best known for his acclaimed stage work. On screen, he portrayed Lavrentiy Beria in The Death of Stalin alongside fellow Know-All Michael Palin and appeared as Winston Churchill in Operation Mincemeat. He’s also in House of the Dragon, the Game of Thrones prequel, playing Ser Simon Strong — and now he’s bringing his formidable presence to the Faraway Tree as the final, hilariously clueless Know-All.
Jennifer Saunders
We can barely contain our excitement at seeing Jennifer Saunders on the Magic Faraway Tree cast list. A true comedy legend, Saunders is best known for creating the sketch show French and Saunders with her longtime partner Dawn French, and for her unforgettable turn as Edina Monsoon in Absolutely Fabulous alongside Joanna Lumley.
This time, she steps into the role of Grandma Frida, Polly’s formidable mother. Arriving to assess the Thompsons’ new life, she quickly finds it wanting, and isn’t exactly impressed by her son-in-law Tim’s questionable schemes.
Rebecca Ferguson
Rebecca Ferguson is booked and busy, it seems. The talented actress most recently appeared in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man opposite Cillian Murphy, and she brought Lady Jessica to life in 2021’s Dune and its 2024 sequel — a role she’s set to reprise in the conclusion of the trilogy in late 2026.
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