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David Tennant is… The Highway Rat

Coming to the BBC this Christmas Day is a half hour animation of the picture book: The Highway Rat. The author, Julia Donaldson, is well known for The Gruffalo, and her continued collaboration with illustrator Axel Scheffler (right).

The story of The Highway Rat follows the titular character as he goes about his day of thievery and naughtiness. He steals food from his neighbours and even his own horse’s hay!

Inspired by Alfred Noyes’ poem The Highwayman, the bouncing rhyme typical of Donaldson, carries the story along to a sweet and funny conclusion.




David Tennant will lend his voice to the title character ‘The Highway Rat’. He will be joined by Rob Brydon as the narrator, Frances de le Tour as the Rabbit, Nina Sosanya as the Duck, and Tom Hollander as the Squirrel.

The animation will be brought to our screens by Magic Light Pictures who also brought us animated versions of The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo’s Child, Room on the Broom, and Stick Man. 

The animated version of The Highway Rat will be shown at 16:45 on BBC One, on Christmas Day.




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