The BBC and Magic Light Pictures have unveiled a first look at The Baddies, a laugh-out-loud festive special where three self-proclaimed villains meet their match in a brave little girl.
- Festive special: The Baddies is a half-hour fairytale comedy coming to BBC iPlayer and BBC One.
- Based on the book: Adapted from the picture book by Dame Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, it marks Magic Light Pictures’ 14th animated adaptation of their work.
- Star-studded cast: Sheridan Smith narrates, with Alison Steadman as Witch, Hammed Animashaun as Troll, Robyn Cara as Girl, Francesca Mills as Mouse and Rob Brydon returning as Ghost.
- A battle of baddies: A Troll, a Witch and a Ghost boast that they are the baddest around, until they are challenged to steal a girl’s blue spotty hanky and discover they may have finally met their match.
- A proven festive hit: Last year’s The Scarecrows’ Wedding attracted 8.7 million viewers across the festive period, according to 28-day BARB figures, making it Christmas week’s most-watched programme in the UK and giving Magic Light its highest-ever audience share of 48.2%.
- Creative team: The special is directed by Andy Martin and Sarah-Jane Knox and produced by Barney Goodland and Martin Pope for Magic Light Pictures, with animation services from Triggerfish Animation.
Sheridan Smith, Narrator, says: “Being bad has never been so much fun! The Baddies is deliciously spooky, ridiculously funny, and packed with heart. It’s a riot of a fairytale that celebrates courage, kindness, and outsmarting the big bullies – families are going to love the hilarity and chaos this Christmas.”
Alison Steadman, voicing Witch, says: “What I loved about the story is how it flips traditional fairytales on their head. You have these three boastful villains plotting wicked tricks, only to be completely outsmarted by a brave little girl and a mouse. It’s such a satisfying, funny tale about kindness quietly beating big bullies.”
The Baddies is directed by Andy Martin and Sarah-Jane Knox and produced by Barney Goodland and Martin Pope of Magic Light Pictures. The film is overseen for the BBC by Nawfal Faizullah, BBC Drama Commissioning Editor, with animation services provided by Triggerfish Animation.
Magic Light’s previous adaptations of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s works are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.