Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

BBC changes name of Swallows and Amazons character from Titty to Tatty

The character of Titty was based on Mavis Altounyans

Matilda Battersby
Friday 26 June 2015 07:35 EDT
Comments
A 1974 film adaptation of Swallows and Amazons
A 1974 film adaptation of Swallows and Amazons (Rex Features)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The BBC has bowed to (presumed?) pressure from the PC lobby and changed the name of one of the “Swallows” in a new adaptation of Swallows and Amazons to prevent titters.

Titty will become Tatty Walker in an upcoming feature film remake of Arthur Ransome’s classic children’s story.

The pluckiest of the five Walker children will be played by Teddie-Rose Malleson-Allen, half-sister of the pop star Lily Allen.

The name Titty comes from the real-life family, the Altounyans, upon which Ransome based his story. One of the children, Mavis, was nicknamed after Joseph Jacob’s Titty Mouse and Tatty Mouse story.

The rest of the Walker children’s names (John, Susan and Roger) remain unchanged in the dramatisation.

The story follows a halcyon summer holiday spent left largely to their own devices having adventures, eating pemmican (corned beef) and swilling grog (lemonade or ginger beer) in a borrowed dinghy called Swallow.

The “Amazons” of the title are a pair of children called Nancy and Peggy who have their own boat – and an uncle known to the children as “Captain Flint”.

This is not the first time Titty’s name has been changed by the BBC. A 1963 adaptation renamed the character Kitty when she was played by Susan George.

BBC Film is due to start filming in the Lake District and Yorkshire this weekend.

Directed by Call The Midwife’s Philippa Lowthorpe, it also stars Rafe Spall as James "Captain Flint" Turner.

The story, originally set in 1929, has been moved closer to the Second World War in its new version "so that it can be told in a compelling and energetic way" according to Christine Langan, head of BBC Films.

She expects modern audiences will "be inspired by the amount of independence these children have".

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in