An exclusive, “first look” trailer for this year’s BBC One and BBC iPlayer Christmas animation, Tabby McTat, has been delivered ahead of the movie’s holiday debut. The 11th animated adaptation from BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated producers Magic Light Pictures for the pubcaster is a story about the warm and wonderful friendship between a musical cat and a talented busker called Fred, set on the streets of London.
Adapted from the picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, the film stars Rob Brydon (Gavin and Stacey) as Fred, Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísú (Gangs of London) as Tabby, Cariad Lloyd (Peep Show) as Prunella, Joanna Scanlan (The Thick of It) as Pat, Jodie Whittaker (Doctor Who) as the Narrator and Susan Wokoma (Enola Holmes) as Sock.
You can read all about the making of Tabby McTat in the January ’24 issue of Animation Magazine (No. 336), available December 8.
Magic Light Pictures has also created three animated 2023 Christmas Idents exclusively for the channel. “Especially for BBC One this Christmas, Magic Light have created charming, animated idents of some of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s best loved characters to bring some extra festive joy and warmth into everyone’s homes,” said Charlotte Moore, BBC’s Chief Content Officer.
The three 40-second animations show Tabby McTat and family enjoying a quiet snooze under the Christmas Tree when they’re abruptly awakened; Stick Man and his family receiving their gifts from Santa; and the Gruffalo’s Child’s playful antics that almost cause havoc for the Gruffalo and his Christmas Tree!
The idents will be revealed on BBC One after Strictly Come Dancing on December 2 and will appear across the channel throughout the festive season.
Animated by Red Star 3D (The Amazing Maurice, StarDog and Turbo Cat), these three idents will be shown along with the four specially created idents that previously premiered in 2020. These revisit the worlds of Zog and The Flying Doctors, The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo’s Child.
