Long Read: The Badjelly Chronicles

By Gemma Gracewood: How New Zealand developed an unique obsession with the baddest witch in all the world.This is The Detail's Long Read - one in-depth story read by us every weekend.This week, it's 'The Badjelly Chronicles', written by self-proclaimed 'Badjellyologist' Gemma Gracewood and published at The Sapling.To celebrate 50 years of Badjelly the Witch, Gemma joins Alexia Russell to read episodes one and two of her five-part series, and talk all things Badjelly: from the story's humble origins as a bedtime story, to author Spike Milligan's electric radio improvisation skills in front of a live orchestra, and - of course - 'knickers, knickers, knickers!'In this five-part series, Gemma Gracewood adventures through the many iterations of Spike Milligan's Badjelly the Witch to find out why New Zealand loves her the most, and why the U.K. might finally be ready to embrace their long-neglected wickedest witch.Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here. You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details