BBC One has signed up for a half-hour Christmas special of “Shaun the Sheep” from stop-motion animation specialists Aardman.
“A Winter’s Tale from Shaun the Sheep” (w/t) sees Shaun’s seasonal excitement turn to dismay when a farmhouse raid to get bigger stockings for the Flock inadvertently leads to the disappearance of his cousin Timmy.
Originally a spin off from Aardman’s hit “Wallace and Gromit” franchise, the “Shaun the Sheep” series has aired on the BBC since 2007, spawning two movies and a previous Christmas special, “Shaun the Sheep: The Farmer’s Llamas,” which aired in 2015.
The half-hour special will start shooting in late 2020, and will air at Christmas 2021.
The story of “A Winter’s Tale from Shaun the Sheep” comes from Giles Pilbrow and Mark Burton, with the script also written by Pilbrow. It is directed by Steve Cox, produced by Richard Beek and executive produced by Mark Burton, Sarah Cox and Carla Shelley.
Sue Deeks, head of BBC program acquisitions, said: “Aardman lovingly produce stories with warmth, personality and humour, so we are truly delighted that, following the huge success of ‘The Farmer’s Llamas,’ the next project in our continuing relationship is another wonderful ‘Shaun the Sheep’ special.”
Sean Clarke, managing director of Aardman, added: “Aardman films have come to be synonymous with the festive period, which is a real honor.”