THE FAMOUS Five have been revamped for today’s techno-savvy kids, and a brand new animated series of adventures is heading to our screens! The characters are the children of Enid Blyton’s original much-loved heroes – and iPods, mobiles and computers replace the lashings of ginger beer of yore.

Ex S Club 7 star and musical theatre performer Jon Lee voices the good-looking, bike-riding Max, son of original Famous Fivester Julian – and the casting was a strange twist of fate.

He told us: “Twelve years ago they did a musical of the Famous Five as a national tour in which played Julian – and now I’m playing his son!” So unlike most actors, Jon Lee’s playing age just gets younger and younger...

Adventure

He added: “I was an adventure junkie like Max when I was younger, and I grew up in Devon, so not far from where the characters actually are. I was always doing stuff like making a den in a field - it's not quite the same in London." The cast have completed the stonking 26 episodes of the Disney Channel series, and now Jon, who famously starred as Marius in the West End production of Les Miserables, is looking further afield.

He said: “I’m just about to move to LA with a view to do more television and film, and I’m going to go to New York as well to see if there’s anything happening there for me.” And what about that pop career? Sorry teeny-boppers, those days are over.

“No, musical theatre is what I’m at, and I definitely wouldn’t want to go into a solo career, but musical theatre is great, I get to sing, act, do everything.”

And if you’re desperate to hear his dulcet tones, Famous Five: On The Case kicks off on May 5 at 10.30am on the Disney Channel.