Magic Light Pictures has announced the voice cast for its animated Christmas special of picture book The Snail and the Whale for BBC One with Rob Brydon, Sally Hawkins and Diana Rigg starring.
 
Sally Hawkins (Paddington, The Shape of Water) will be Snail, Rob Brydon (Gavin & Stacey, The Trip) will be Whale, and Dame Diana Rigg (Game of Thrones, Victoria) will be the Narrator.
 
Rob Brydon, who has starred in all of Magic Light’s animated specials, said: “It’s always so wonderful to work with Magic Light on these animated specials for Christmas. The Snail and the Whale is a longstanding favourite in our house. It’s an epic journey across the globe, where the tiniest creature and the mightiest mammal experiences the vastness of our planet together.”
 
Written in 2003 by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, creators of the modern classic The Gruffalo, the picture book is published by Macmillan Children’s Books.
 
The Snail and the Whale follows the journey of a tiny snail who longs to see the world and manages to hitch a ride on the tail of a huge humpback whale.
 
Acquired for BBC One, by Charlotte Moore, Director of BBC Content, and Tommy Bulfin, Commissioning Editor, BBC.
 
The Snail and the Whale is directed by Max Lang and Daniel Snaddon who have both directed a number of Magic Light productions, last year co-directing Zog. Max, joint director of both The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom, is twice Oscar-nominated and a BAFTA winner. He has also collected a series of awards at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival. Daniel co-directed Stick Man which won the Crystal at Annecy and nominations at BAFTA and the British Animation Awards.
 
The Snail and the Whale is produced by Michael Rose and Martin Pope of Magic Light Pictures and the composer is René Aubry, who has written all of the music for Magic Light’s specials.  The book was adapted for screen by Max Lang and Suzanne Lang. Animation services have been provided by Triggerfish Animation in Cape Town.
 
 

Staff Reporter

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