BBC Announces Animated Christmas Special: The Scarecrows’ Wedding
The BBC has confirmed that this year’s animated Christmas special will be an adaptation of Julia Donaldson’s beloved children’s book, The Scarecrows’ Wedding, produced by Magic Light Pictures. The half-hour special will be broadcast on BBC One and made available for streaming on BBC iPlayer.
According to Deadline, the film features a talented voice cast, including Rob Brydon (Gavin and Stacey, The Trip), Jessie Buckley (Wicked Little Letters, Wild Rose), and Domhnall Gleeson (About Time, Alice and Jack), with Sophie Okonedo (Slow Horses, Hotel Rwanda) as the narrator.
The story follows the romantic tale of two devoted scarecrows, Betty O’Barley (Buckley) and Harry O’Hay (Gleeson), who are planning their wedding. However, when Harry insists on leaving the farm to collect one last thing, a smooth-talking scarecrow named Reginald Rake (Brydon) swoops in with plans of his own, causing chaos and putting the wedding at risk. As reported by Deadline, the film is a joyful tale about loyalty, love, and learning that the most important thing isn’t a grand gesture, but simply being together.
The film is directed by Samantha Cutler and Jeroen Jaspaert, with Barney Goodland and Michael Rose of Magic Light Pictures serving as producers. The BBC’s outgoing Chief Content Officer, Charlotte Moore, and Nawfal Faizullah, BBC Drama Commissioning Editor, acquired the special. As noted by Deadline, this is the 13th adaptation of Julia Donaldson’s books for the BBC’s annual Christmas specials.
Julia Donaldson’s books have been a staple of the BBC’s Christmas specials, with last year’s Tiddler attracting an audience of 7.3 million, the highest share for a Magic Light film since The Gruffalo in 2009. Her picture books remain incredibly popular in the UK. In fact, it was recently announced that she is writing a new ‘Gruffalo’ book, 21 years after the last one, ‘The Gruffalo’s Child’, which was adapted by the BBC in 2011.
The author herself expressed her delight at the news, saying, "The Scarecrows’ Wedding is my favourite of all the books I’ve created with Axel Scheffler, so I’m extra specially pleased that it is to be this year’s animated adaptation from Magic Light Pictures." As quoted by Deadline, Donaldson added that the story contains "a lot of comedy and a Hollywood-style villain."
Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, also commented on the announcement, stating, "We’re incredibly proud of our enduring partnership with Julia, Axel and Magic Light Pictures, and can’t wait to bring the Scarecrows’ big day to millions of viewers across the UK this Christmas. Much like the wedding itself, this charming, funny and exquisitely animated adventure has all the perfect ingredients." According to Deadline, the BBC’s partnership with Julia Donaldson and Magic Light Pictures continues to produce high-quality and engaging content for audiences of all ages.
The Scarecrows’ Wedding is set to become a Christmas classic, with its unique blend of humour, adventure, and heart. As reported by Deadline, the film is sure to delight audiences across the UK this Christmas.
