The Highway Rat To Air On BBC One At Christmas

BBC One has confirmed that it will air an animated adaption of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s children’s book The Highway Rat however it won’t be available until Christmas 2017!

Image Credit: Magic Light

UPDATE: David Tennant will lead the cast on this show on BBC One this Christmas based on the book by the number one picture book duo, Julia Donaldson and Alex Scheffler.

Rob Bryden who will narrate ‘the Highway Rat’ said: “My favourite Donaldson/Scheffler books are a tie between The Highway Rat and The Snail and The Whale. They’re both a joy to read. I loved everything about voicing the narrator. I’d told the Magic Light guys a few years ago, when we were doing Stick Man that if they ever did it I’d love to narrate it. All good things to those who wait!

Frances De La Tour (the Rabbit) said: “I had the most wonderful day recording my voice part. This is a story that I know will delight my grandchildren and their mates as well as us adults! It was great watching the process of how the ‘characters’ took shape early on before the voices were added, and then after!”

Nina Sosanya (the Duck) said: “I didn’t know the story of The Highway Rat before voicing the Duck. She’s an excellent Sort – a great role model. I loved every bit of it, particularly trying to make the right sounds for a duck riding a horse while holding a basket of cupcakes.”

Michael Rose and Martin Pope, co-founders, Magic Light Pictures, say: “It’s been a privilege adapting Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s wonderful book for the screen. They create worlds rich in story, character and charm, ideal for families to watch together, and huge fun for us to make.”

Elizabeth Kilgarriff, Senior Commissioning Editor, BBC Drama, says: “I am delighted that we will be bringing another of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s much loved stories to life on the BBC. Magic Light Pictures have, yet again, woven their wonderful magic to animate the story of The Highway Rat with warmth and wit – and some very recognisable voices!”

It may well only be the second week of September and already stores such as John Lewis has opened its festive shops, we’ve had the FIRST Christmas advert and now Christmas TV is being confirmed for 2017.

The team behind last years Stick Man, Magic Light Pictures, saw a whopping 9.3 million viewers tuning in to the Christmas special will once again be working on The Highway Rat.

The half hour special will tell the story of a greedy rat who terrorises animals by stealing all their food he’ll even steal his own horse’s hay, however it seems he wont be able to keep his grubby paws off anything sweet as his real cravings are for cakes and all things sugary.

Will it all end sweetly or will he be left with a sour taste in his mouth? You’ll have to wait until Christmas next year to find out.

ANNOUNCING our animation for Christmas 2017, “a swashbuckling tale of bandits and biscuits” – The Highway Rat! pic.twitter.com/A4LzfYQQSD

— Magic Light Pictures (@MagicLightPics) September 7, 2016

Did we just say NEXT Christmas?…yes we did! you will have to wait a whole year for this brilliant children’s adaption to come to life however it will be worth the wait.

Do you think The Highway Rat will be more popular than Stick Man? Share your thoughts below.