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The Legend of the Lost Keys
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Fantasy adventure encouraging reading and language skills. - BBC publicity description

When Mark and Lisa Astor go to stay with their Great Uncle George at Guardian's Green, they find an old box buried deep beneath the ground. But this isn't any ordinary box. It is the doorway to another world: a world inhabited by the Takers. The Takers plan to come through the doorway and take children back to their world as slaves. Mark and Lisa are the only people who can stop them. To do this they have to find three keys. Join Mark and Lisa in their quest to find the three keys in this thrilling story (...) - novelisation cover blurb

#EPISODE TITLE1st AIRING

1.   The Box 12-Jan-98
Mark and Lisa must help their uncle prevent an ancient and mysterious box from being opened. For the box is a doorway to a dark and menacing world.
2.   The First Key 19-Jan-98
George and the twins begin the search for the keys to the box of destiny. Lisa is woken in the night by intruders.
3.   The Watchers 26-Jan-98
Lisa and Mark search for a second key, and are followed by the Watchers who have been ordered to kidnap them.
4.   Kidnap 02-Feb-98
Having thwarted an attempt by the Watchers to kidnap them, the children team up with Uncle George and locate the final key at the Roman baths.
5.   The Crystal Connection 09-Feb-98
George and the children have all three keys and they persuade Professor Waters to take them to the Box.
6.   The Trap 23-Feb-98
When George breaks into the Janus Foundation to get to the Box, the children realise it is a trap.
7.   The Box is Opened 02-Mar-98
The doorway to Heritron is opened. George and the children escape from the Janus Foundation, but are betrayed by Erica who is revealed as a Watcher.
8.   Into The Box 09-Mar-98
Professor Waters gets the Box back from the Watchers, and George goes through to lock the doorway into Heritron. But the Catchers are waiting for him.
9.   Betrayed 16-Mar-98
George is held captive on Heritron. Anna tells the children they must rescue him.
10.   The Final Hour 23-Mar-98
Lisa and Mark find George trapped in a crystal cell. They manage to set him free, but can they escape from Heritron?


Written by Jim Eldridge, music by Debbie Wiseman, costume Eric Doughney, producer Cas Lester, executive producer Anne Brogan, director Colin Cant.
Starring Andrew Sachs as George, Richard Morant as Sir Derek Janus, Tatiana Strauss as Dr Burns, Abigail Ansell as Mark, Sita Ramamurphy as The Taker, Stafford Gordon as The Catcher and Sonia Graham as Anna
Since he isn't in the IMDb, I may as well mention that Jim Eldridge wrote all ten seasons of Radio 4's King Street Junior and also it's current successor Coming Alive. He also did those (initially) great Uncle Jack things for CBBC.
A novelisation of The Legend of the Lost Keys is available to buy. See the links page for references at amazon.co.uk and the BBC Shop.

The Legend of the Lost Keys aired during the following terms. See the Air Dates page for exact details.
      Spring 1998
      Spring 1999

If you have any information, opinions or recollections to add to this page, please mail me, ben@lookandread.fsnet.co.uk


This information is based on what was published in the Radio Times and similar sources. It is not necessarily complete or reliable, as space constraints or misprints may have led to inaccuracy.
Apart from the writer, all cast and crew credits are taken from TV Chronicles (see Links page).