Adapted from a series of books by Gillian Cross, The Demon Headmaster starred Terence Hardiman in the title role as a megalomaniac who wanted to take over the whole world through the strict rules he applied to his school., hypnotising anyone who resisted.
The first series of six episodes (December 1995 to January 1996) had brothers Lloyd (Gunnar Cauthery) and Harvey (Thomas Szekeres) Hunter leading the struggle against the headmaster’s despotic rule.
But when their new extraordinarily intelligent foster sister Dinah Glass (Frances Amey), came to the school, they found her falling under the headmaster’s spell.
The boys had to scheme to save her, with the aid of their organisation, SPLAT (Society for the Protection of our Lives Against Them) – comprising Lloyd, Harvey, Ian (Anthony Cumber), Mandy (Rachael Goodyer) and Ingrid (Kristy Bruce) – all of whom were immune to the headmaster’s hypnotism.
Dinah became addicted to a computer game called ‘Octopus Dare’ and won a place at the grand final of a competition until SPLAT discovered that the ‘Computer Director’ (actually the Demon Headmaster) was using mind control to take over the world by hacking into the Prime Minister’s computer and hypnotising the PM, allowing him to meet other world leaders and gain control of them himself.
School location scenes in the first series were filmed at Hatch End High School, in Hatch End, Harrow, as well as The Royal Masonic School for Girls in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire.
The series returned for another seven episodes in September 1996, with the Demon Headmaster hatching another plan to take over the world. This time, his starting point was the Biogenetic Research Centre (BRC), where he experimented with genetic engineering and transgenic implants.
He lured his old foe Dinah and her family to the village of Shellbrook (episodes were actually filmed in Sarratt, Hertfordshire), where the centre was located and brought along his former ally, the erstwhile head prefect Rose Carter (Katherine Wyeth), who infiltrated SPLAT.
The Headmaster rapidly took control of the Centre and the village by using his hypnotic powers. The only person to escape was Dinah’s new friend, Simon James (James Richard).
When Simon and Dinah investigated a mysterious buzzing and a strange fast-growing creeper which appeared over the wall of the Centre, something struck Llloyd Hunter.
He remained in a coma in the hospital until Dinah and Simon finally discovered exactly what had been going on.
The Demon Headmaster ultimately succeeded in creating a half-lizard Dinah clone named Eve, but was killed in the final episode.
The third and final series aired in January 1998, with Dinah again battling with the Demon Headmaster (who had been inadvertently cloned by the Army while they were dismantling the BRC) to halt his latest plans to take over the world.
This time around, an amnesiac headmaster ended up as the director of a computer research establishment, intent on gaining all human knowledge via the sentient Hyperbrain computer.
Terence Hardiman reprised his role for a cameo when the series was rebooted by CBBC in 2019. He died in May 2023, aged 86.
The Demon Headmaster
Terrence Hardiman Dinah Glass/Hunter
Frances Amey Lloyd Hunter
Gunnar Cauthery Harvey Hunter
Thomas Szekeres Mandy
Rachael Goodyer Ingrid
Kristy Bruce Ian
Anthony Cumber Mrs Hunter
Tessa Peake-Jones Rose Carter
Katherine Wyeth Simon James
James Richard Professor Tim Dexter
Richard Hope Michael Dexter
Jay Barrymore Professor Claudia Rowe
Nina Young Kate
Natasha Lee Smith
Tony Osoba Mr James
David Baukham
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The first series of six episodes (December 1995 to January 1996) had brothers Lloyd (Gunnar Cauthery) and Harvey (Thomas Szekeres) Hunter leading the struggle against the headmaster’s despotic rule.
The Headmaster rapidly took control of the Centre and the village by using his hypnotic powers. The only person to escape was Dinah’s new friend, Simon James (James Richard).
