Mary Poppins is a universal and much loved character that has spanned three generations, joining the select company of Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland and Winnie the Pooh. But very few people know anything of the Australian creator of Mary Poppins, Pamela Travers, and her remarkable but troubled life.

Behind the character of the smiling Nanny lies the much darker story of Pamela Travers, a woman escaping her own upbringing – the shame of an alcoholic father who died when she was seven and her resentment of an absent mother

Who would have thought that this universally loved character that has brought so much joy to millions of children and parents around the world was born out of such pain?

The Shadow of Mary Poppins is a one-hour documentary that explores and traces the parallel lives of Travers and Mary Poppins from their origins through to their transformation from servant to seer. The enigma that was Pamela Travers is finally revealed in this biography of the creator of one of the most popular characters in children’s fiction and film.