The BBC and Oscar-nominated producers, Magic Light Pictures, have released a first look at their upcoming Christmas animated special, The Scarecrows’ Wedding. The half-hour special follows two devoted scarecrows, Betty O’Barley and Harry O’Hay, who are preparing for their big day when trouble arrives in the form of smooth-talking Reginald Rake.Adapted for BBC iPlayer and BBC One from the beloved picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, The Scarecrows’ Wedding marks Magic Light’s 13th animated special of their work.
Academy Award nominee Sophie Okonedo (Slow Horses, Hotel Rwanda) narrates the half-hour special, joined by a stellar voice cast including Jessie Buckley (Wicked Little Letters, Wild Rose) as Betty O’Barley, Domhnall Gleeson (About Time, Alice and Jack) as Harry O’Hay, and Rob Brydon (Gavin and Stacey, The Trip) returning for his thirteenth Donaldson and Scheffler adaptation as the rotter, Reginald Rake.
Rob Brydon, who voices Reginald Rake, says, “I’ve been lucky enough to appear in every Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler adaptation so far, and Reginald Rake has to be one of the most enjoyable characters yet. He’s vain, charming, and utterly unreliable – a proper cad! Playing him has been enormous fun.”
Last year’s adaptation, Tiddler, was seen by 7.3 million viewers within 28 days and secured the highest Christmas Day audience share for a Magic Light Pictures film since The Gruffalo in 2009. It has now been watched by 11.3 million viewers.
The Scarecrows’ Wedding is directed by Samantha Cutler and Jeroen Jaspaert, written by Steven Bloomer, and produced by Barney Goodland and Michael Rose of Magic Light Pictures. Animation services by Red Star with assets and animation support by Triggerfish Animation.
Magic Light’s earlier adaptions of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s works are available to stream on BBC iPlayer, and on Apple TV+ and Prime Video. Magic Light Pictures is a multi-Oscar-nominated, BAFTA-winning company creating high-quality family entertainment and products. Founded by Martin Pope and Michael Rose in 2003, it is best known for its animated adaptations of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s books, including The Gruffalo, Zog, and Tiddler. Magic Light’s growing slate of work also includes the preschool series Pip and Posy, the Oscar-nominated Revolting Rhymes, and the Emmy-winning The Velveteen Rabbit. A Zog preschool series will also debut on CBeebies in 2026.
