BBC1 captures Snail & Whale

The Snail & the Whale

UK pubcaster BBC1 has commissioned an animated Christmas special based on children’s picture book The Snail & the Whale from Magic Light Pictures.

Written in 2003 by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, the duo behind children’s modern classic The Gruffalo, The Snail & the Whale follows the journey of a snail that manages to explore the world by hitching a ride on the tail of a huge humpback whale.

The BBC adaptation will be voiced by Sally Hawkins (Paddington, The Shape of Water), Rob Brydon (Gavin & Stacey, The Trip) and Dame Diana Rigg (Game of Thrones, Victoria).

Magic Light has produced Christmas specials for the BBC for more than a decade, including adaptations of The Gruffalo and Roald Dahl’s book of reimagined fairy tales Revolting Rhymes.

The Snail & the Whale is directed by Max Lang and Daniel Snaddon and is produced by Magic Light’s Michael Rose and Martin Pope. René Aubry, who has written all the music for Magic Light’s specials, is the composer.

The book was adapted for screen by Max Lang and Suzanne Lang, with animation services provided by Triggerfish Animation in Cape Town.