Main Characters | Students | Teachers | Others | The New Worst Witch
The other students of Miss Cackle's Academy.
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Ruby Cherrytree
Ruby Cherrytree
Portrayed by: Joanna Dyce
1998
An original character created for the 1998 TV series. A token black girl, Ruby is a member of Mildred's gang. She's known for being a bit of a technofile, owning various modern conveniences - and greatly annoying Miss Hardbroom.
- A Day in the Limelight: "Sorcery and Chips" and "Which Witch Is Witch" give her a prominent role.
- Black and Nerdy: Downplayed. Her nerdiness is more a love of technology, and sheer enthusiasm for it. She's actually one of the more extroverted friends in the group.
- Brainy Brunette: She's shown reading a book about physics, and does successfully invent a couple of things.
- Brilliant, but Lazy: She could probably do a lot better in her classes if she applied herself a little more, given how well she invents things in Season 3.
- Bungling Inventor: Well she is only a teen and she has to work in a school with no electricity.
- Canon Foreigner: Not mentioned anywhere in the books, besides a line saying Mildred has "loads of friends".
- The Cast Show Off: In-universe. The school pantomime puts in some Padding for Ruby to show off a tap dancing routine. Her actress Joanna Dyce is a trained tap dancer herself, and went on to become a choreographer later in life.
- Eek, a Mouse!!: Is left a screaming mess when she finds a beetle in her bed.
- Gadgeteer Genius: Seems to have various gadgets and gizmos stashed in her room.
- Gamer Chick: Implied in the first episode. She compares riding a broomstick to playing a game."These things need joysticks".
- Ironic Name: 'Ruby Cherrytree' sounds more like the name for a Granola Girl.
- Sailor Earth: Since Mildred in the books is said to have "loads of friends", Ruby's existence has a justification.
- The Smart Guy: She's the most tech savvy of the girls.
- Those Two Guys: With Jadu.
- Token Black Friend: A member of Millie's gang, she's one of the only black girls in the whole school. She does however have plenty of defined characteristics, flaws and roles in the plot to transcend just being a Token Minority.
Jadu Wali
Jadu Wali
Portrayed by: Harshna Brahmbhatt
1998
Another original 1998 series character. A token Indian, she doesn't have much character. According to her actress, she gets excited a lot but not much of it is shown.
- A Day in the Limelight: "The Unfairground" is the only episode to give her a lead role. And that's the second-last. In "Sweet Talking Guys" she's chosen as one of the debate speakers.
- Canon Foreigner: Doesn't appear in the book.
- Characterisation Marches On: In the first couple of episodes, she seemed to be the wet blanket of the group. This trait is gone by episode 3.
- Deadpan Snarker: She's got her moments, especially when she's annoyed.
- Dull Surprise: Known for her monotonous delivery.
- The Generic Guy: Doesn't seem to have much of a personality. She gets no real episodes to herself. Whether it's because of Tokenism or simply because her actress wasn't very good is up to you.
- Not So Above It All: Although a responsible character, when Ethel kicks Mildred on stage in the school pantomime, Jadu whacks her with a broom in retaliation.
- Only Sane Man: Comes across as this sometimes.
- Oop North: She speaks with a Northern accent.
- Sailor Earth: For the same reasons as Ruby.
- Token Minority: Of the Indian variety.
Sybil Hallow
Sybil Hallow
Portrayed by: Charlotte Knowles (1998 series) Trixie Hyde (2017 series)
1998
2017
Ethel's younger sister. Rather than being a snob like Ethel, Sybil is a nice girl at heart who is overwhelmed by the Cackle's experience.
- A Day in the Limelight: "The Genius of the Lamp" is from her POV.
- Annoying Younger Sibling: From Ethel's perspective anyway.
- Ascended Extra: Her only book appearance is Mildred telling her the frog story. She's a regular character in both TV series from Season 2 onwards.
- Big Sister Worship: Towards Esmeralda. To the point that when Clarice makes a negative comment about Esmeralda, Sybil almost ends their friendship.
- She develops a variation of this towards Mildred in the two TV series, as she recognises Mildred as a genuinely good and heroic person who does the right thing even if she screws up.
- Class Princess: Sybil comes from a very rich background, but unlike Ethel she’s not snobby or spoiled and is a Spoiled Sweet girl.
- Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: Sybil may be nervous but she is capable of getting things done, like trying to rescue Mildred's bats or turning Mistress Broomhead back into a child.
- Drunk on the Dark Side: Sort of when she has control of a magic lamp. She uses it to get whatever she wants and briefly rejects anyone who challenges her.
- Flanderization: Her one appearance in the books was crying on her first day of school. The TV series ran with this and made sobbing uncontrollably part of Sybil's character. She does get better in Season 3 where she's better adjusted to Cackle's.
- Hero Worship: Towards Mildred in both series. After Mildred saves her from the tornado (1998)/saves the school by helping to restore the Founding Stone (2017), Sybil looks up to her as a role model.
- Lovable Coward: In the 2017 series, with traces of Cowardly Lion. It's summed up with an Establishing Character Moment in her first scene in the second season, where she and Ethel are flying to school on their broomsticks:Sybil: (shrieks in terror, startling Ethel, and then looks ashamed) Sorry. Ethel. Think I'm just a bit nervous.
Ethel: (annoyed) Of what?
Sybil. Flying. Falling off. Miss Hardbroom yelling at me. Losing my powers like poor Esmerelda... - Let's Get Dangerous!: It's Sybil who stops Hecate Broomhead - using the forbidden Almanac to turn her into a child again.
- Nice Girl: In the 2017 series, she's quickly established as this when, despite her timid and scared nature, and despite Ethel just scoffing, she does her best to help out Mildred.
- Sibling Yin-Yang: With all her sisters. It's easy to see just how she contrasts against all three of them:
- Ethel is snobby and perfect at everything. Sybil is shy, bumbling and emotional.
- Esmerelda is The Ace, who becomes the Broken Ace. Sybil is a Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass.
- Mona is bold, cheerful and competent. Sybil is timid, pessimistic and a bit of a screw-up.
- Spoiled Sweet: Sybil is a wealthy girl from a powerful family, but she is kind and shy.
- Uptight Loves Wild: The uptight to the wild Clarice
- In the revival she the uptight to wild Beatrice and is slightly less uptight then Clarice.
- The Unseen: In the first season of the 2017 series, she is mentioned (and at one point addressed off-screen) but doesn't appear. She makes her actual on-screen debut in the second season, when she starts her first year at Cackle's.
Esmerelda Hallow
Esmerelda Hallow
Portrayed by: Miriam Petche
- The Ace: Esmerelda is not only good at everything, but exceptionally good at everything. All the teachers, and even the Grand Wizard, are constantly praising her remarkable talents... usually in front of Ethel.
- Always Someone Better: To Ethel. While Ethel is skilled in her own right, she's outclassed by Esmerelda in everything... including getting more attention from their mother.
- Broken Ace: At the end of the first season, when she loses all her magic thanks to Agatha.
- Canon Foreigner: Was created for the remake.
- Cool Big Sis: She tries to be this to Ethel, even if Ethel doesn't always appreciate it. Sybil, however, is a lot more appreciative.
- Expy: If Ethel is like an amalgamation of Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy, Esmerelda is more like a female Cedric Diggory.
- Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Just as blonde as Ethel, and very sweet-natured. She often helps younger students who need it and always tries to look out for her sister.
- Honor Before Reason: She'll always do her best to aid anyone who needs it... even when it puts her at a disadvantage, and even should be blatantly obvious that helping out would be a bad idea.
- Humble Hero: She usually tries to downplay her own successes, partly because she sees how bad Ethel feels when being compared to her.
- Nice Girl: Always polite and friendly, always trying to do the right thing.
- No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Her desire to help out and do the right thing does occasionally misfire spectacularly, when she's tricked into helping out the wrong people.
- Put on a Bus: Esmeralda stops appearing after the 2nd season and goes off to college by season 4.
- Sibling Yin-Yang: With both Ethel and Sybil, though in different ways:
- Where Ethel is snobbish, haughty and self-centered, Esmerelda is modest, kind and helpful.
- Sybil is a Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass. Esmerelda is The Ace in normal circumstances but tends to not do too well when things get serious.
Clarice Crow/Twig
Charice Crow/Twig
Portrayed by: Georgia Isla Graham (1998 series) Kitty Slack (2017 series)
1998
2017
Sybil's best friend, with vastly different characterisations in either TV series. In the 1998 series she's a Fiery Redhead who often encourages Sybil to cut loose a little; in the 2017 series she's a bespectacled and serious Brainy Brunette.- A Day in the Limelight: "The Lost Chord" and "The Genius of The Lamp".
- Adaptation Dye-Job: In the books and the 1998 series she's a redhead, but the 2017 series turns her into a brunette.
- Ascended Extra: Only gets one scene in the books, but is a regular supporting character in the 1998 series, and has an even larger role in the 2017 series.
- Alliterative Name: In the 1998 series. Averted in the 2017 series, where her last name is "Twig."
- Be Careful What You Wish For: Rather literally, when her idea to create a magic lamp goes horribly wrong.
- Brainy Brunette: In the 2017 series, she's got dark brown hair and depicted as extremely intelligent. She even wears glasses.
- Class Clown: In the 1998 series only. She puts a dancing potion in food the students make in cooking class. The fun starts when the teachers want the food.
- The Comically Serious: Her 2017 incarnation, in direct contrast with her 1998 self, doesn't have much of a sense of humor, but tries her best to convince the others that she does have one. With mixed results.
- Fiery Redhead: In the books and the 1988 series, she has "brilliant orange frizzy hair" and is a bit more spirited than her best friend Sybil.
- Innocently Insensitive: She's very blunt and doesn't always think of the implications of what she says, which does cause some friction between her and Sybil in the 2017 series.
- Insufferable Genius: Played sympathetically in the 2017 series; Clarice needs to always be the smartest person in the room, but only because she believes she has nothing to offer besides her brains.
- Plucky Girl: Definitely in a dangerous situation.
- Satellite Character: If she's ever involved in the plot, it's due to her friendship with Sybil. She does get the occasional Day in the Limelight in the third season of the 2017 series, though.
- Smart People Wear Glasses: 2017 only.
- Uptight Loves Wild: She's the wild one to uptight Sybil.
- In the revival she the uptight to wild Beatrice.
Beatrice Bunch
Beatrice Bunch
Portrayed by: Ynez Willams
2017
Classmate and best Friend of Sybil and Clarice in the 2017 series, rounding out the secondary Power Trio from season two and on.- Blessed with Suck: Has asthma that causes her to disappear when she sneezes. It later reveal that her sneezes are caused by an allergy to cats.
- Didn't Think This Through: When casting a spell to get rid of her allergies, she accidentally makes all the cats in Cackle's disappear.
- Feminine Women Can Cook: Subverted. She's more of a tomboy than Sybil or Clarice, but is a talented cook.
- Intergenerational Friendship: Develops one with Mrs Tapioca, despite a rocky start.
- Missing Mom: It's revealed in season 3 that her mother is dead.
- Morality Pet: Ends up becoming one to Mrs Tapioca in the third season.
- Satellite Character: In season 2, where most of her plots revolve around Sybil. In season 3, she gets an ongoing plot of her own when her interest in and talent for cooking sees her taking on an assistant role to Mrs Tapioca.
- Uptight Loves Wild: The wild to the uptight Sybil and Clarice.
Felicity Foxglove
Felicity Foxgolve
Portrayed by: Dagny Rollins
- Ascended Extra: In the first season of the 2017 series she's one of Mildred's classmates and doesn't get a lot of attention. In the second season she has a much larger role; not only does her blog, the Daily Bubble, come into play, but she also essentially replaces the now-absent Drusilla as Ethel's companion and partner-in-crime.
- Beta Bitch: Plays this to Ethel sometimes; she seldom starts anything herself, but doesn't have many scruples and is all too willing to join Ethel in a bit of Disproportionate Retribution.Felicity: If you can't stir with the big girls, stay away from the cauldron.
- Canon Foreigner: She never appears in the original books or the 1998 series.
- Fangirl: A bit to Miss Pentangle, whom she thinks is "very glamorous." She'd originally wanted to go to Pentangle's, but her mother wouldn't let her because it's co-ed. She still occasionally complains about Cackle's and compares it negatively to Pentangle's.
- Intrepid Reporter: She has shades of one, always after news to post on her blog. On a couple of occasions she gets herself into dangerous situation simply because she sensed that there was a story to be had.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: She can be quite mean and catty, but as the series goes on she gets more Pet the Dog moments, demonstrating that she's not all that bad when it comes down to it.
- Knowledge Broker: According to Ethel, Felicity "has eyes and ears everywhere" and always manages to find out everything before anyone else. School announcements and news tend to appear on her blog before they have been officially made.
- Pet the Dog: While often mean-spirited, Felicity nevertheless has moments of kindness. Most notably in the third season when she starts an I Am Spartacus moment to stick up for Julie Hubble.
- Suspiciously Similar Substitute: Played with. She replaces Drusilla as Ethel's companion in the second season, and Ethel certainly seems to expect her to take on the same role to her as Drusilla did. ("We all have roles, Felicity. I'm a thinker, a problem-solver, a leader. You're a... doer.") However, Felicity is quite unlike Drusilla when it comes to personality, and doesn't always go along with the role Ethel tries to shove her into. She's also a lot more openly critical of Ethel, going against her on several occasions.
Fenella 'Fenny' Feverfew and Griselda 'Griz' Blackwood
Fenella 'Fenny' Feverfew and Griselda 'Griz' Blackwood
Fenella is portrayed by: Emily Stride (1998, first two seasons), Julia Malewski (1998, third season)
Griselda is portrayed by: Poppy Gaye
Fenella on the left, Griselda on the right.
Two students one year above Mildred who act as mentors for the girls in the 1998 series. Known for being real spell collectors.- Adapted Out: They never appear in the 2017 reboot.
- Age Lift: Fenella is implied to be in Mildred's year when she transfers in the book. In the 1998 TV series, she's a year ahead, while in the 2017 series she seems to be in Sibyl's year. Averted with Griselda, who is said to be a year ahead of Mildred in the book.
- Alliterative Name: Fenella Feverfew.
- Ascended Extra: Both of them in the 1998 series. Fenella's case is quite impressive; she's simply the girl who transfers to Pentangle's Academy in Book 4 and gives Mildred her pet cat. Griselda meanwhile is the girl that Mildred ties up in Book 3.
- Bound and Gagged: Griselda in her book appearance. This role is given to Drucilla in the TV series.
- Class Princess: Fenella and Griselda are popular girls a year above Mildred. Despite having a fondness for pranks, they are always quick to help out younger students and the more reasonable staff members.
- Cool Big Sis: To Mildred's class and later Sybil's.
- Divergent Character Evolution: Inverted. In the first couple of episodes, Griselda seemed to be a bit more of a jokester and Fenella more caring. This is dropped later.
- Everyone Has Standards: Even they won't go near the Tome of Eldritch Lore Miss Cackle has in her office.
- Good Bad Girl: Both are rebellious and sneaky, but unambiguously good.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: Mostly known as 'Fenny' and 'Griz'.
- Mr. Exposition: They know a lot of the secrets and stories about the castle and fill in the younger girls.
- Start My Own: Downplayed, as they aren't really unhappy with Crackle's, but once state plans to start their own academy for witches once they grow up.
- Those Two Guys: They're always together and it's only in "The Inspector Calls" that they get separated (Fenella going with Sybil to rescue Mildred's bats).
- The Trickster: They slip into it a few times, especially when they're put against Baz and Gaz.
Mabel Tapioca
Mabel Tapioca
Portrayed by: Annette Hannah
- Antagonistic Offspring: Initially. She lives with her father and does not get along with her mother. As the episodes go on, they do come to a bit of an understanding.
- Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other: Occasionally gets some moments like this with her mother.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: She can be surly, bad-tempered and rude, and not always the most ethical when it comes to business, but she's not a bad person.
- Like Parent, Like Child: Part of the reason why she has problems getting along with her mother is that they are not so different. Though Mabel is loath to admit it, the two share a lot of character traits: They're both haughty, proud, stubborn and with a tendency to lash out and keep other people at an arm's length.
- Little People Are Surreal: Completely averted. Her dwarfism is barely even commented on and she's treated like any other student.
- Young Entrepreneur: She has traces of this with her sweet-selling business. Always looking to earn some quick cash, she occasionally tempts others with sales and discounts that aren't really. At one point she tells the other students that in order to celebrate an event, sweets are complimentary — "and by that I mean you can buy them for a price, with my compliments." It's hinted she gets this trait from her father.
Indigo Moon
Indigo Moon
Portrayed by: Kelsey Calladine-Smith
- Broken Pedestal: Disappointed to not only learn that Joy is Miss Hardbroom, but also Mildred and Miss Cackle have kept her in the dark about the secret.
- Canon Foreigner: Didn't appear in the books or the previous series.
- Did Not Think This Through: A recurring problem for her. She tends to go with the first idea she gets without stopping to think whether it's a good idea or not.
- Drunk with Power: Her original dilemma. Upon becoming a witch she got carried away with magic-use, becoming a danger to herself and others. Post-revival she's constantly in danger of succumbing to the trope because magic just makes everything so easy, and Indigo is not good at thinking about consequences.
- Fish out of Temporal Water: She wakes up in a time that's not her own, and has no way to find her old family.
- Intergenerational Friendship: Played with, a little.
- She's technically much older than Mildred, but since she spent thirty years as a statue she is still physically and mentally the same age.
- Ultimately subverted when she reconciles with the grown-up Joy, who is now known as "Miss Hardbroom." At first, Miss Hardbroom refuses to deal with Indigo, calling her "a mistake from my past" and keeps her true identity from the girl. When Indigo finds out that the Sadist Teacher out to get her is the same person as her old friend Joy, she loses her temper, latches into a "The Reason You Suck" Speech and flies off from Cackle's. In the final episode of the third season, the two do reconcile, but admit that with all that has happened, they can't be friends the way they were before.
- Muggle: Started out as one, though she always believed in magic and even before she became a witch she could see through the Invisible to Normals spells the witches use to keep non-witches from seeing them.
- Orphan's Ordeal: It's not given a lot of focus, but after thirty years missing, Indigo has no family left and doesn't really have anywhere to go other than Cackle's. Even before her stint as a statue, she apparently had no parents."I had an aunt and an uncle, but I can't find them. I went back to the old house, I asked everyone I could, but no one even remembers them."
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Gives one to the entirety of Cackle's Academy when she finds out that her friend Joy's identity has been kept from her.
- The Slow Path: By season 4 episode "Happy Birthday, Indigo Moon", she is sent back to 1989 by Miss Hardbroom on purpose to get her to reunite with her mother who was looking for her at the time. 30 years later, she becomes a non-magical parent to her daughter named Azura Moon.
- Unskilled, but Strong: Sums up her magic ability very nicely. Indigo is a powerful witch but isn't so good at controlling that power.
- Walking Spoiler: Her existence throughout Season 3, reveals a new element of Miss Hardbroom's backstory.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Rightfully calls out Joy for growing up as the cold-hearted Miss Hardbroom instead of trying to fix the problem with her turned to stone as 30 years went by.
Isabella 'Izzy' Jones
Portrayed by: Saoirse Addison
One of the new 'ordinary' witches who starts at Cackle's in the fourth season of the 2017 series.
- Long-Lost Relative: The fourth season finale reveals that her father, Spike, is also Mildred's father, and she is shown smiling at the idea that Mildred is her sister.
- Walking Spoiler: Good luck talking about her without revealing she's actually Mildred's long-lost sister
