Nation.Cymru staff
The BBC has issued a first look at The Baddies their star-studded animated Christmas special – with a number of familiar voices.
Described as ‘a delightfully mischievous Christmas treat’ it features the vocal talents of Gavin & Stacey stars Sheridan Smith, Rob Brydon and Alison Steadman.
Created by the BBC and Magic Light Pictures this laugh-out-loud festive special about triumphing over the worst baddies around is sure to be a hit with all the family over the festive period.
In this fairytale comedy, a Troll, a Witch and a Ghost proclaim themselves the baddest of them all, delighting in tormenting everyone they meet. But when they’re challenged to steal a girl’s blue spotty hanky, they discover they may have met their match.
Adapted for BBC iPlayer and BBC One from the picture book written by Dame Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, The Baddies marks Magic Light Pictures’ 14th animated adaptation of their work.
Sheridan Smith (Cilla, The Cage) narrates the half-hour special, joined by a voice cast including Alison Steadman (Gavin & Stacey, Pride and Prejudice) as Witch, Hammed Animashaun (Black Ops, SNL UK) as Troll, Robyn Cara (Bodkin) as Girl, Francesca Mills (Harlots) as Mouse, and Rob Brydon (The Trip, Would I Lie to You?) returning for his 14th Donaldson and Scheffler adaptation as the boastful Ghost.
Sheridan Smith, Narrator, says: “Being bad has never been so much fun! The Baddies is deliciously spooky, ridiculously funny, and packed with heart. It’s a riot of a fairytale that celebrates courage, kindness, and outsmarting the big bullies – families are going to love the hilarity and chaos this Christmas.”
Alison Steadman, voicing Witch, says: “What I loved about the story is how it flips traditional fairytales on their head. You have these three boastful villains plotting wicked tricks, only to be completely outsmarted by a brave little girl and a mouse. It’s such a satisfying, funny tale about kindness quietly beating big bullies.”
Last year’s adaptation, The Scarecrows’ Wedding, watched by 8.7 million viewers across the festive period (28-day BARB), was Christmas week’s most-watched programme in the UK and achieving Magic Light’s highest-ever audience share of 48.2%.
The Baddies is directed by Andy Martin and Sarah-Jane Knox, and produced by Barney Goodland and Martin Pope of Magic Light Pictures. The film is overseen for the BBC by Nawfal Faizullah, BBC Drama Commissioning Editor, with animation services provided by Triggerfish Animation.
Magic Light’s previous adaptations of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s works are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
No airing date has yet been set for The Baddies.
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