The Wind in the Willows

David Jason received a letter from someone saying they had seen a house on the market, three miles from Jason's home, that was identical to Toad Hall. Jason went to look for it and found it. He said it was wonderful and seemed like it would last forever. It had a lake fed by its own spring. It was not Toad Hall, but he could imagine living there. It was worth twice the value of the house he owned. He thought about it, but when he lost a coin toss (despite his reputation as a wheeler-dealer) he had to pay the full price. But driving toward the house made him realize how much he wanted it.

DEEPER MEANING · SOURCED

Of all the shows David Jason did with Cosgrove Hall, he considered this one the classic, the most successful and the most exciting. He loved the cast Brian Cosgrove managed to assemble and said Sir Michael Hordern was one of his heroes. He claimed he could never go on stage and play Shakespeare with him and be competitive.

CHARACTERS & CAST · SOURCED

Cosgrove Hall wanted David Jason to play Rat, but Jason preferred Mr. Toad. Everyone who had voiced Toad had made him irritating, but Jason turned him into a lovable show-off. He got the role after recording an audition.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

The series aired in Sweden with Swedish dubbing in 1986 and 1988, with Ingvar Kjellson as Badger, Sven Lindberg as Mole, Jan Blomberg as Rat and Peter Harryson as Toad. However, only episodes 1.3, 1.4, 1.2, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.9, 1.10, 1.13, 2.3, 2.5, 2.8, 2.6, 2.13 and 2.9 (in that order) were dubbed and shown in Sweden.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

As of January 2026, David Jason, Delia Corrie, Brian Southwood, Kate Lee, Jimmy Hibbert, Allan Bardsley and Alun Lewis are the only surviving cast members from the series.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Richard Pearson, who voiced Mole, and Peter Sallis, who voiced Rat, had both previously appeared in The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes (1971), 11 years earlier.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Howard Lloyd-Lewis, who voiced Mole's Cousin, died of a heart attack on 18 December 1986 at the age of 42. After his death, Brian Southwood took over the role.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Rat and Toad are the only main characters who live in an ordinary house.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Mr. Toad and Auberon's friend Thomas look exactly alike; the only difference between them is their voices.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Peter Sallis, who voiced Rat, and Michael Hordern, who voiced Badger, had both previously appeared in the film The V. I. P. S (1963), 21 years earlier.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

In the episode The Unlikely Allies (1987), Peter Sallis, who voiced Rat, and Charles Gray, who voiced the Stranger, had previously appeared together in Across a Crowded Room (1978).

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

At the time the series began airing, many of its episodes had been published as a book series by Magnet Books.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Peter Sallis, who voiced Rat/Ratty, and Daphne Oxenford, who voiced many female characters, had both previously appeared in Yanks Go Home (1976).

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Peter Sallis, who voiced Rat/Ratty, and Daphne Oxenford, who voiced many female characters, both died at Denville Hall in Northwood, London.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Peter Sallis, who voiced Rat/Ratty, and David Jason, who voiced Toad, Chief Weasel and Rabbit Billy, had both previously appeared in The Funny Side of Christmas (1982), two years earlier.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Peter Sallis, who voiced Rat, later narrated Rocky Hollow (1983) and voiced Wallace in Wallace & Gromit.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Richard Pearson, Peter Sallis, Delia Corrie, Brian Southwood, Kate Lee, Daphne Oxenford, Peter Wheeler and Alun Lewis had all previously appeared in Crown Court (1972).

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Peter Sallis, who voiced Rat/Ratty, and Peter Wheeler, who voiced most of the Weasels, both later appeared in the Living with Betty episode Living with Betty: Part 3 (1987).

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Mole has the shortest name of all the main characters.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED