Hannah Waddingham narrates the animated Christmas special “Tiddler”

The BBC and Magical light images have announced Tiddlera magical new animation from Britain's leading picture book authors Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.

The upcoming half-hour Christmas special follows Tidder, a small grey fish with a lot of imagination who gets lost in the vast ocean until he is saved by his own storytelling skills.

The film’s voice actors include Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso, game of Thrones) as narrator; Lolly Adefope (Ghosts, Saltburn) as Miss Skate; Jayde Adams (Ruby speaks: Alma is not normal) as Plaice and other characters; and Rob Brydon (Gavin and Stacey, The Journey), returning for his 12th adaptation by Donaldson and Scheffler, as Fisherman, Whale, Starfish and Anchovy. Child actors Reuben Kirby and Theo Fraser voice Tiddler and Johnny Dory respectively.

Donaldson said: “Tiddler is all about storytelling and big imagination – things that are really important to me as a writer. The film captures the heart of the story and brings it to life with a fantastic cast. I'm particularly impressed by the young child actors who take on the lead roles in this adaptation.”

“It was a real pleasure to narrate this Magic Light Pictures Christmas special,” added Waddingham. “Tiddler is the story of the storyteller in all of us and helps children understand what it's like to be a small fish in a very big pond (and we've all felt THAT at some point in life!). I've loved reading Julia and Axel's books to my daughter over the years and it's so lovely to bring one of them to the screen in this beautiful animation.”

The film is the twelfth animated special by writer Donaldson and illustrator Scheffler, produced by Magic Light Pictures for the BBC. Last year, 8.6 million people saw the animated film. Tabby McTat, the heartwarming story of a street musician and his cat.

Tiddler Directed by Andy Martin and Alex Bain, with a screenplay by Michael Bohnenstingl and produced by Barney Goodland and Martin Pope of Magic Light Pictures, the film was acquired by Charlotte Moore, BBC Chief Content Officer, and Nawfal Faizullah, BBC Drama Commissioning Editor.

Goodland said: “Tiddler is a beautifully illustrated and imaginative underwater adventure that we are thrilled to bring to the screen. Its celebration of the power of storytelling reflects everything Magic Light does and it was a real joy to delve deep into this subject. We are delighted to share our adaptation of this absolutely classic Julia and Axel story with families this Christmas.”

Tiddler will air on BBC iPlayer and BBC One this Christmas.

Source: The BBC

Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologist – Laurén brings a diverse perspective to the animation, with each frame reflecting her varied passions.