Illuminating Magic Light’s holiday specials plan

Muriel Thomas, international distribution director at Magic Light Pictures (MLP), outlines how the audience for the company’s holiday specials is evolving, the digital strategy for this content and her slate for Mipcom.

What new animated holiday specials has MLP got lined up for Mipcom?

We are excited to be attending Mipcom with our latest adaptation from the best-selling picture books of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, The Scarecrows’ Wedding. This enchanting story is about two devoted scarecrows, Betty O’Barley and Harry O’Hay, as they plan the perfect wedding, until unexpected twists begin to unfold. In true Magic Light Pictures style, it’s full of heart, humour and adventure and it has a wonderful voice cast including Rob Brydon (Gavin & Stacey, The Trip) voicing Reginald Rake, Jessie Buckley (Wicked Little Letters, Wild Rose) as Betty O’Barley, Domhnall Gleeson (About Time, Alice & Jack) as Harry O’Hay, all led by Sophie Okonedo (Slow Horses, Hotel Rwanda) as the Narrator.

You’re now on the 13^th Donaldson/Scheffler adaptation. How do you keep them fresh while retaining their signature style?

The Scarecrows’ Wedding has all the hallmarks of a classic Donaldson/Scheffler adaptation in that it’s heart-warming, timeless and joyful, but it’s a completely fresh take on the story, featuring characters that we haven’t seen on screen before. What we do at Magic Light Pictures is look at a project on its own merits, focus on strong storytelling and select the most fitting technique to bring that story to life. This approach ensures our films remain fresh and distinctive, while still carrying the signature qualities our audiences know and love.

What did the huge BBC audience for Tiddler last Christmas tell you about the demographic watching these films?

Our little fish Tiddler made a big splash last Christmas, drawing an impressive 7.3 million viewers on BBC One and iPlayer, the highest audience for one of our films since The Gruffalo in 2009. With children increasingly discovering content on non-linear platforms, Christmas remains a rare moment when families gather around the television together. We’re truly honoured that our films have become a cherished part of many families’ festive traditions.

What can you reveal about how the audience for these specials changes over time?

While Christmas remains a special time for us, we’re seeing audiences enjoy our films throughout the year. The full Donaldson/Scheffler Magic Light animation catalogue was repeated on BBC One over the holiday period and continues to be available on BBC iPlayer all year round. They performed 20% up year on year, with every special attracting over a million viewers. Though these films are premiered each Christmas, they remain hugely popular all year round and our aim is to build on this success year on year. Because these stories are so timeless, they speak to generations and have the ability to feel fresh no matter how many times they’re seen.

Is the trend for animated specials at Christmas, or other holidays, spreading beyond the UK?

Our specials have broad global appeal and resonate across cultures. For example, Room on the Broom consistently performs well around Halloween in the US. The strength of our specials is that, apart from Stick Man, they are not set at Christmas, which means they can be transmitted all year round. We’ve placed all our previous specials in more than 180 countries, and we are taking the same approach with The Scarecrows’ Wedding. International pre-sales are already underway and we’re feeling really optimistic about its global reception.

Aside from traditional TV, how are you exploiting these specials in the digital on-demand space?

We are always looking for new ways and platforms for audience to access our content. Our dual digital strategy combines partnership with broadcasters and streamers while also building brand presence on platforms like YouTube. We believe we’ve found a great balance of between traditional linear television and the evolving digital landscape, helping us reach the widest possible family audience. As mentioned before, in the UK our specials are on BBC iPlayer all year round and are consistently in the top 30 most watched programmes on the platform, across all genres.

What are you plans regarding FAST for these shows?

In the summer, Sensical, the leading US FAST, AVoD and SVoD streaming service from Cricket Media, launched Pip & Posy to American audiences. As we continue to expand our global reach, we’re actively exploring opportunities in the FAST space and are currently looking for the right partner to bring our beloved specials to new audiences through this growing format.

What is your strategy for theatrical exploitation of these films?

Cinema releases continue to be a highly successful avenue for us. As our films are beautifully crafted and visually stunning, the big screen offers a unique way to experience them, allowing audience to find details that they wouldn’t necessarily see on the small screen. In countries like the UK and Australia, we’ve partnered directly with cinema chains to ensure regular screenings and in other territories like France we work with local distribution partners. We like to position our films as special events for a dedicated audience at key times of the year, such as school holidays, as we know children and families love to turn a simple screening into a memorable outing or even a first cinema experience for younger audience.

With Pip & Posy returning as specials on Sky Kids, how is MLP’s series strategy evolving?

It’s of no surprise to anyone in the industry that there are massive challenges to overcome in terms of getting new content commissioned at the moment. However, we remain hopeful and are particularly excited about our upcoming 52×11’ animated series Zog, which is set to make its debut on CBBC in 2026.

What other programmes do you have in the MLP development pipeline?

While it’s too early to share full details, we’re actively developing a promising slate of new projects, including both one-off specials and animated series. As always, we’re focused on high-quality storytelling, compelling characters and imaginative worlds that resonate with children and families. We look forward to sharing more in due course as these exciting projects take shape.