More playtime for Magic Light Pictures’ preschool hit Pip and Posy

Pip and Posy, the hit pre-school series from multiple Oscar-nominated Magic Light Pictures, has been recommissioned for a second series of 52 x 7’ episodes to debut in early 2023 on Milkshake! on Channel 5 and Sky Kids and NOW in the UK and ROI.

Pip and Posy is the first joint co-production between Paramount and Sky and the show launched to acclaim in March 2021.

Series 2 will build on the success of the first series, which is one of the top rated shows on Milkshake! (3 million viewers since launch). Pip and Posy has also seen significant growth across its own social media platforms on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.

Magic Light has sold the show worldwide, securing major international broadcast partners including ZDF (Germany), FTV (France), RAI Yoyo (Italy), ABC (Australia), SVT (Sweden), Hop! Channel (Israel), NPO Zapp (Netherlands), CTV (Czech Republic), Asiana (South Korea), PTS (Taiwan), DR (Denmark), YLE (Finland), SYN (Iceland), NRK (Norway), RTV (Slovenia) and TVO (Canada). It will also air on Nick Junior UK from this spring.

Pip and Posy are the best of friends whose lives revolve around a wonderful world of play. Packed with warmth and humour, the series is a joyful celebration of their great friendship with all its ups and downs, laughter and games.

Louise Bucknole, VP Programming Kids, Paramount, says: “We’re delighted that Pip and Posy has been such a hit with the audience. We are very happy to commission a second series of this endearing show which has quickly found its way into the hearts of our young viewers, where they can relate to the stories of friendship, creative play and being a preschooler.”

Lucy Murphy, Director of Kids at Sky UK & Ireland, says: “We aim to bring our youngest audience the very best entertainment and Pip and Posy has proved to be a show preschoolers and their families love. We’re hugely looking forward to seeing what further fun and games the lovable pair will be getting up to in series two!”

Pip and Posy is Magic Light’s first animated series and we’re thrilled that it’s got off to such a successful start,” says Michael Rose, co-founder of Magic Light. “We’re delighted that Milkshake!, Sky and ZDF share our passion for the show, and we’re looking forward to bringing more episodes to our young audience.”

Pip and Posy has been jointly commissioned by Louise Bucknole for Milkshake! on Channel 5 and Lucy Murphy for Sky Kids with the participation of ZDF, Germany. The series is executive produced by Michael Rose and produced by Vici King for Magic Light Pictures. The showrunner at Magic Light is Jeroen Jaspaert (Stick Man and The Highway Rat). Animation services are provided by Blue Zoo, where the director is Sean McCormack.

Magic Light Pictures holds the global distribution and merchandising rights to Pip and Posy (excluding publishing) and is planning a full consumer products programme to complement the property with the first products due at retail this year, whilst the online shop went live at the end of 2021. The Pip and Posy characters are also appearing in Milkshake! Live and will be touring nationwide from February 2022 through to 2023.

Magic Light Pictures supports global growth with three promotions

Multi award-winning Magic Light Pictures, home of The Gruffalo, has announced a series of promotions across its brand and licensing departments.

Aidan Taylor-Gooby has been promoted to Head of Licensing, leading Magic Light Pictures’ successful licensing business. In his new role Aidan will oversee commercial activity across licensed consumer products, brand partnerships and live experiences globally.

As well as focusing on the continued growth of Magic Light’s evergreen Julia Donaldson/Axel Scheffler titles including The Gruffalo, he will lead the roll-out of the preschool ratings hit Pip and Posy, currently broadcasting daily on Milkshake! and Sky Kids.

Aidan joined Magic Light in July 2017 from Modest Management, where as Brand & Licensing Manager he developed award-winning licensing campaigns for global music acts One Direction, Little Mix, 5 Seconds of Summer and Olly Murs. Aidan began his licensing career at Banijay Kids, creating consumer products partnerships for preschool properties Waybuloo, Mister Maker, Little Princess and Tickety Toc.

Alex Sanson is promoted to Senior Brand Manager. Since 2013 Alex has worked across product development, licensing and marketing for the Gruffalo family of brands. Alex has worked with major partners such as Eden Project, Yorkshire Tea, Kew Gardens and The Royal Mint. She will continue to develop Gruffalo partnerships with Merlin Entertainments, Forestry England, Arla Big Milk and Twycross Zoo.

After the enormous success of Superworm last Christmas, the fourth most-watched show on Christmas Day, Alex will build on her work with BBC One for the launch of the animated specials.

Bridie Gibbs takes on additional responsibilities as Product Development Manager, responsible for all product development and approvals across Magic Light’s portfolio. Bridie joined Magic Light in March 2018 from Santoro, where as Product Development Executive she worked across high-end gift and lifestyle products, including fine art brands such as “Gorjuss”.

Leaving the Magic Light team is Brand Director Daryl Shute. After sixteen years with the company, Daryl decided the time was right to explore new opportunities. As Brand Director, Daryl oversaw the growth of the Gruffalo brand both in the UK and internationally, developing and delivering a licensing and brand engagement strategy for sustained long-term growth and successfully building the in-house licensing team.

Martin Pope and Michael Rose, Joint Managing Directors at Magic Light, said: “Daryl played an immense role in the growth of Magic Light over 16 hugely successful years and we will be forever grateful for his tremendous contribution. We absolutely respect his desire to explore new opportunities, but he will be greatly missed.

“We’re delighted that the team and strategy Daryl has built are all in place for continued growth in the years ahead, and look forward to Aidan, Alex and Bridie stepping up and enjoying the challenge of their new roles.”

Winners announced for British Animation Awards

The winners have been announced for the British Animation Awards 2022 at a ceremony held last night at London’s BFI Southbank, presented by comedian Miles Jupp and sponsored by Hanna Barbera Studios Europe. 

Now in their 26th year, the British Animation Awards (BAAs) attract the great and the good from one of the nation’s most successful creative industries to this biennial celebration of their craft.

Gathering momentum ahead of the Academy Awards later this month, Britain’s two Oscar-nominated short films Affairs of the Art and Robin Robin were triumphant in their categories, with Affairs of the Art picking up three awards: Best Short Film, Writers Award and Best Voice Performance (for 86-year-old Little Britain star Menna Trussler as ‘Beryl’).

Created by film-making partners Joanna Quinn and Les Mills, Affairs of the Art continues the story of larger-than-life Welsh housewife Beryl who has artistic ambitions on a grand scale. Meanwhile Robin Robin, Aardman Animations’ Netflix Original film about an optimistic robin raised by a family of mice, won the award for Best Original Music for its score written by The Bookshop Band (Ben Please and Beth Porter).

London-based animation studio Magic Light Pictures was successful in two categories, with BBC One Christmas special Zog and the Flying Doctors winning for Best Use of Sound and Milkshake! and Sky Kids series Pip and Posy picking up the award for Best Children’s Pre-School.  Meanwhile, the Best Children’s category was won by Fourth Wall’s feline-focused series Milo, also shown on Channel 5’s Milkshake!

One of the closest-fought categories of the night was the prestigious Best Long Form category, which saw victory for Locksmith Animation’s debut feature Ron’s Gone Wrong. Directed by Jean-Phillipe Vine, Sarah Smith and Octavio E Rodriguez, the film tells the story of a socially awkward middle-schooler who befriends a defective robot.

Best Animation in a Commercial category was won by Airwick for its Breath of Nature campaign, directed by Peter Szewczyk of Nerd Productions, while animator Ged Haney took home the Best Music Video Award for Rocket Freudental’s ‘Der Stuhlkreis’.

 A hard-hitting film featuring the voices of some of Hollywood’s hottest stars picked up the award for Best Factual award. Save Ralph, an animated short film about the cruelty of testing on animals, produced for the Humane Society International, was written and directed by Spencer Susser and features the voices of Taika Waititi, Ricky Gervais, Zac Efron and Oliver Munn.

Meanwhile, the Social Good category was won by Typically, a film aiming to remove the taboo surrounding periods, produced for period poverty charity Bloody Good Period and directed by Anna Ginsburg and Caitlin McCarthy.

In two of the new categories for 2022, the Best Immersive Animation award was picked up by Grant Berry and Dane Winn’s The Beast, while the Wildcard category was won by Osbert Parker’s Timeline.

Continuing to challenge the status quo, the Cutting-Edge award was won by Jamie Jay Johnson and Asa Movshovitz’s E4 series about a role-playing fantasy game, Dead Pixels. And this year’s Design Award was won by Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, a Netflix Original directed by Ian Spendloff, with VFX by Lucy Hare.

Some of the leading British animation courses were represented in the Best Undergraduate and Best Postgraduate Student film categories, including nominees from Falmouth University School of Film and Television, University of Creative Arts in Farnham, Arts University Bournemouth, Royal College of Arts London and National Film & Television School. The winners were Renee Zahn’s (NFTS) O Black Hotel! for Best Postgraduate Student Film and Miles Jezuita’s (Arts University Bournemouth) Suburb for Best Undergraduate Student Film.

Introduced in 2020, The Lamb Award bridges the gap between current categories which recognise student achievements and general best-in-class awards, and is open to any young professionals working in the animation and VFX industry. The winner of the 2022 Lamb Award is Production Coordinator Hodan Abdi, who was nominated by Illuminated Films.

Three awards on the night were decided by members of the public, voting for their favourites in a special online poll.  The winners of these audience awards were:  Tony Comley’s Time to Recover for Best Music Video, Uri Lotan’s Black Slide for Best Short Film and Sky Kids’ hit children’s series The Brilliant World of Tom Gates for the Children’s Choice Award.

The awards themselves (the BAAs) are unique artworks, featuring sheep, created especially for the occasion by a range of leading international and UK animation artists. This year’s awards include designs by author/illustrators Liz Pichon and Rachel Bright and legendary film-maker Terry Gilliam.

BAA Director Helen Brunsdon and Producer Kieran Argo said: “We have been amazed at the quality of the entrants for this year’s British Animation Awards and would like to offer our heartfelt congratulations to all the winners and nominees.  After a particularly tough couple of years animation continues to be one of the most productive and creative industries in the UK”.

The BAAs are the only awards to recognise all forms of animation and reward the work of both new and established animators across all aspects of the UK Animation scene, from student work to commercials, children’s entertainment, short and experiential films, music videos and new technologies.

 

Warwick Castle welcomes back Julia Donaldson’s Zog

Zog superfans at Warwick Castle will be able to slide into new adventures when the iconic venue becomes the ‘Realm of Zog’ with the launch of the world’s first Zog Playland on 9 April, and the return of the Zog and the Quest for the Golden Star interactive trail.

Following Zog’s roaring 2021 success at Warwick Castle, a Merlin Entertainments attraction, the new Zog Playland has been developed with the multiple award-winning production and brand-building company Magic Light Pictures.

The new land is inspired by the picture book Zog and the Flying Doctors by author Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler, which also aired in 202o as an animated special  produced by Magic Light Pictures, and combines sensory and physical play elements for children up to the age of 10, as well as accessible activities.

The brand-new Playland will feature colourful dragons, dragon wing zip wires, crawl tunnels, rope swings, Princess Pearl’s Tower, and dragon slides. From interactive sand play and building pretend fires, to keeping the Lion’s cave warm and shopping at the imaginative play market stall for young budding doctors, Zog Playland will offer plenty of opportunities for children to immerse themselves into the imaginative world they know and love from the popular book and film.

The popular Zog and the Quest for the Golden Star trail will also return with some updates for the new season, and will offer children the chance to actually meet some of the key characters from the story, including Zog, Princess Pearl and Sir Gadabout.

Ultimate Zog fans can extend their magical adventure to the evening with the returning Zog Stay and Play package from 27 February. Guests can choose from cosy Woodland Lodges to Medieval Glamping Tents where they will find special Zog goodies and then enjoy an exclusive storytime with one of Warwick Castle’s brave Knights or enchanting Princesses, and even spend time with Zog himself before bedtime

The new Zog Playland, as well as the Zog trail and other popular Castle attractions will be accessible with Warwick Castle’s annual Gold pass (£65pp) and Silver pass (off-peak only, £45pp).

Jamie Turner, Head of Marketing, says: “I am delighted we are able to continue to develop our product for younger children, which means the Castle has something to offer all the family, from preschool kids to grandparents. Zog has proven to be incredibly popular with our younger guests and is the perfect fit for Warwick Castle. We’re incredibly proud to become the realm of Zog for 2022 and beyond.”

Alex Sanson, Brand Manager, Magic Light Pictures, says: “Warwick Castle feels like the perfect setting for Zog, Princess Pearl and Sir Gadabout. Rolling grounds for him to run about in, turrets for him to soar between, not to mention all the creatures that Princess Pearl’s assistants will be able to heal – we can’t wait for families to explore the new Playland and be fully immersed in Zog’s Realm.”

After a magical and action-packed day, retiring to The Knight’s Village for an overnight stay will offer guests a unique way to finish an unforgettable experience. Zog Stay and Play packages cost £149 for a family of four and include bed, breakfast and one-day park tickets on selected stay dates.

This latest announcement demonstrates the continued growth of Magic Light properties in location-based activations and follows on from this year’s announcement of the forthcoming The Gruffalo Discovery Land at Twycross Zoo, the launch of Superworm trails at Forestry England and the Room on the Broom trail at Ushaw historic house and gardens in County Durham.

For more information head to www.warwick-castle.com.

 

Twycross Zoo unveils Gruffalo Discovery Land

Leading conservation charity Twycross Zoo has announced that a multi-million pound major new development, The Gruffalo Discovery Land, will open this spring, in a UK first. 

The new four-acre attraction, located at the Warwickshire zoo, brings together the much-loved characters from best-selling children’s book The Gruffalo, created by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, and a conservation organisation that exists to protect wildlife, preserve endangered species and educate the next generation on the importance of protecting our planet.

Twycross Zoo’s aim for the new experience, developed in partnership with The Gruffalo brand owners Magic Light Pictures, is to inspire and inform more children than ever before about the importance of conservation and the natural world. Featuring real-life animals, animatronics, film clips and much more, The Gruffalo Discovery Land at Twycross Zoo will allow visitors to encounter Fox, Snake, Owl, Mouse and the Gruffalo along their interactive journey through the Deep Dark Wood.

The announcement comes following research by Twycross Zoo that reveals over three quarters of children, as young as four, have a good or extensive understanding of extinction or endangered animals. However, when it comes to the solution, only 16 per cent have a strong understanding of how conservation efforts could help to tackle climate change, showing that more needs to be done to educate the next generation on how they can help to protect our planet.

Sixty-five per cent of parents believe that the less time children spend outdoors, the less they appreciate wildlife and nature, and 85 per cent of parents feel that imaginary characters from books, such as The Gruffalo, have a positive impact on children’s understanding of conservation, and play an important role in encouraging their children to care about wildlife.

Dr Sharon Redrobe OBE, CEO of Twycross Zoo, says: “We hope to spark the imaginations of our youngest visitors about the wonders of nature in this most engaging and interactive way. Even small actions can, collectively, have a big impact on the future health of our planet – and every young person can play their part.

“The arrival of The Gruffalo Discovery Land moves us closer to achieving our 2030 vision to become a European Centre of Excellence for conservation. This brand-new immersive experience will educate more young children than ever before and increase their understanding of the vital role that they will play to ensure our planet thrives in the future.”

The Gruffalo Discovery Land at Twycross Zoo will open in Spring 2022. For further details, visit www.twycrosszoo.org/the-gruffalo-discovery-land/

Magic Light Pictures teams up with ODEON for festive family experience

Magic Light Pictures and ODEON Cinemas have teamed up to bring a large selection of the multiple Oscar-nominated company’s animated specials to the big screen in the run-up to Christmas.

Since half term, double bills of half-hour family films have been rolling out in ODEON cinemas across the UK and Ireland. Screenings of the specials, based on the much-loved books written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, are set to continue throughout December to provide the perfect way to get the whole family into the Christmas spirit.

A double bill of The Gruffalo’s Child and Stick Man is due to begin from 4 December, showing in 113 locations to run across the month.

A selection of  cinemas are also airing the specials through the week outside of the traditional weekend children’s screenings.

Hannah Jones, Magic Light Pictures Distribution Executive, says: “We are delighted to partner with ODEON cinemas to offer families throughout the UK and Ireland another chance to watch these wonderful films on the big screen, and recapture the magic of these timeless films. The fabulous immersive experience that ODEON provides for its cinemagoers will be key to bringing these films to life, and it will make for a fantastic family outing.”

Magic Light’s award-winning festive family specials have become a Christmas tradition on the BBC, where they are watched by millions every year. New for 2021 is Superworm, featuring a hero with a difference and a wonderfully entertaining villain who clash to thrilling effect. Superworm premieres on Christmas Day on BBC One.

The Gruffalo’s Child plots new ‘enchanting trail’ through Kew Gardens this autumn

The Gruffalo’s Child is plotting a new and ‘enchanting trail’ through the gardens of the popular Sussex heritage site, Kew this autumn, through a new partnership between Magic Light Pictures and Kew’s Royal Botanic Gardens.

Adventurous visitors will encounter much-loved characters from author Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler’s book, including, Fox, Owl, Snake, The Gruffalo, the Gruffalo’s Child and of course, the Big Bad Mouse. At Kew Gardens, intrepid explorers of all ages are invited to enjoy a trail across the Gardens, beginning at Brentford Gate, snaking through Kew’s Rhododendron Dell and concluding at the Children’s Garden.

Throughout their wild journey, visitors will collect clues to cultivate their curiosity in their search for The Gruffalo’s Child and other characters. As part of their adventure, young visitors will get the chance to play and explore in Kew Gardens’ striking natural landscapes – home to 14,000 trees – and become immersed in the world of The Gruffalo’s Child, brought to life with stunning planting which replicates the snow-covered landscape of the book.

As well as the Gruffalo’s Child trail, Kew Gardens’ stunning autumn landscape boasts canopies bursting with autumnal colours, and visitors can also learn more about seasonal produce in Kew’s Kitchen Garden, home to a harvest of beetroots, carrots and pumpkins.

Meanwhile, Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex, will also host its own trail, taking in Bethlehem Woods and a Tree Trunk Trek. Admission to the Gruffalo’s Child Trail is included with entry to the gardens, which can be pre-booked. Activities on offer at Wakehurst include ‘Make a Stick Buddy’ and a dedicated Gruffalo’s Child workshop trail, as well as a Creative Cookery Camp.

Both Kew Gardens and Wakehurst will be open early for members on selected dates between 16th to the 31st October, full details are available here.

Sandra Botterell, director of marketing and commercial enterprise at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew said: “We are delighted to be welcoming The Gruffalo’s Child to Kew this autumn, allowing intrepid visitors to immerse themselves in the magic of Donaldson and Scheffler’s beloved imaginative world.

“This new adventure for 2021 promises to be one for all of the family to enjoy, particularly against the stunning botanical backdrops of both Kew and Wakehurst in the autumn.”

Daryl Shute, brand director at Magic Light Pictures, added: “It is so wonderful to enter a second year of this partnership with Kew. Their site and ethos make the perfect home for The Gruffalo’s Child – a young, curious character who is discovering her environment, adventuring bravely and engaging with nature. Following the success of The Gruffalo Adventures they hosted last year, we know it will be a great activity.”

Magic Light Pictures partners with lifestyle brand Joules for exclusive The Gruffalo collection

Magic Light Pictures is partnering with the premium lifestyle brand, Joules, for the launch of an exclusive collection of Gruffalo clothing and accessories for babies and toddlers. The new collection will launch in Joules stores and online mid-September.

The range features colourful apparel and accessories for babies and children up to six years old. Part of the Better Cotton Initiative, Joules’ range uses organically grown cotton for its items, spanning jackets, boots, hats, gloves, and bags adorned with the Gruffalo’s terrible teeth, tusks, and purple prickles.

The collection will also feature t-shirts, tops, leggings, dresses and jackets featuring vibrant images of The Gruffalo, Mouse, Fox, Owl and Snake, and patterns inspired by the deep, dark wood.

Daryl Shute, brand director at Magic Light Pictures, said: “We are delighted to launch this new licensing collaboration with Joules. As a contemporary country loving brand who share our values they are the perfect partners to capture the spirit and charm of The Gruffalo and this really comes across in this wonderful collection.

The team’s unrivalled attention to detail in delivering fun and quality for families has created fabulously stylish and quirky lines that we are sure kids are going to love wearing. We hope that our partnership will continue for many more such covetable collections.”

Josie Will, licensing manager at Joules, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Magic Light Pictures to create this enchanting new Gruffalo-inspired range. He is such a treasured character for families all over the world and we love him too – the story really chimes with our own rural roots and the way we take inspiration from nature.”

The launch will be supported by Joules’ online market place ‘Friends of Joules’, where you can discover a carefully curated selection of additional Gruffalo merchandise from the brand’s partner sellers.

Created by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, The Gruffalo is a modern classic children’s story that has been published in 105 languages. Magic Light’s award-winning animation has been seen in more than 185 countries since its launch on BBC One on Christmas Day 2009, which attracted 10 million viewers.

Magic Light Pictures’ Pip and Posy sponsors this year’s Playday event with communities across the UK

Magic Light Pictures’ new preschool series, Pip and Posy, has joined forces with Play England, Play Scotland, Play Wales, and PlayBoard Northern Ireland to sponsor this year’s Playday event.

Recognising the fundamental need for play among children and their health, wellbeing, and development, Playday is a national day for play in the UK and an annual celebration that aims to highlight the importance of play in children’s lives. This year’s event will take place on Wednesday, August 4th.

Under its new partnership, characters from Pip and Posy, the hit new preschool series about a mouse and a rabbit whose live revolve around play, will feature in a resource pack designed with Playday that will be available online at www.playday.org.uk.  The pack will feature tips and downloadable activities to help families, carers, and communities create their own Playday event.

Michael Rose, executive producer and co-founder, Magic Light Pictures, said: “Play is central to the world of Pip and Posy so we are delighted to team up with Playday, a fantastic initiative that promotes the importance of play. Both our series and this wonderful event celebrate the joy of play and Pip and Posy are looking forward to helping many more friends have fun throughout the summer.”

Anita Grant, chair of trustees Play England, said: “With their love of play and understanding of how it can help to forge friendships and solve problems as well as being huge fun, Pip and Posy are the perfect Playday partners. The past year has been very challenging and play can greatly help children and young people cope with stress and anxiety.

“We are proud that not only is Playday continuing across all four nations of the UK but we are also encouraging a whole Summer of Play. We can’t wait to see the creative ways that families and carers will be celebrating on Playday and beyond with the help of a little Pip and Posy magic.”

The Gruffalo returns to England’s forests with launch of second AR Gruffalo Spotter app

The Gruffalo is returning to the deep, dark wood thanks to the latest partnership between Forestry England, Magic Light Pictures, and Nexus Studios and the launch of The Gruffalo Spotter 2 app.

Building on the BAFTA nominated original, the new app brings the characters of The Gruffalo to life in the forest, as families will be able to follow a trail and learn about each one in turn. The augmented reality app mixes the animated characters with the real world environment and is developed to encourage kids to explore their surroundings.

Responding to instructions such as waving, stomping, flying, dancing and roaring, visitors will trigger the AR characters to come to life and interact with them. Through cutting-edge face and body recognition technology, the characters now look at the children directly, encouraging them to play along. These moments can even be recorded and saved to mobile devices for families to revisit and share later via the #GruffaloSpotters hashtag.

Gruffalo Spotter 2 has been designed for exclusive use at up to 24 of the nation’s forests across England where visitors of all ages can join the adventure and spot favourite characters along the way. The self-led trail features facts about forest animals with fun activities to complete including rubbings and interactive activities on some of the panels.

Bridgette Hall, recreation manager for Forestry England, said: “This is such an exciting development and will deliver a completely different forest experience for our visitors. The Gruffalo is a much-loved story and to be able to once again bring the characters to life in their natural setting is fantastic. We’re thrilled to be bringing the two worlds of technology and nature together again with this new app.”

Barney Goodland, producer at Magic Light Pictures, added: “Following the runaway success of the first Spotter app we’re delighted to be bringing The Gruffalo back to the forest for 2021. We’re always looking to further children’s enjoyment of The Gruffalo and this is an innovative way to incorporate new technology with a real-world experience.

“Working with Forestry England and Nexus Studios has been a real joy and it’s exciting to now be sharing Gruffalo Spotters 2 with families. Most importantly for us the app is completely free, which means that it’s there for everyone to enjoy.”

The Gruffalo Spotter 2 app, which has been developed and animated by Nexus Studios, is available for free with no in-app purchases from the App Store and Google Play and requires downloading before your visit. A Gruffalo Spotters trail pack will be available to buy on site which includes an activity leaflet full of fun facts and activities, Gruffalo Mask and paws, a nature spotters game, stickers as well as a crayon and pencil.

Colin Davis, executive producer, interactive arts, at Nexus Studios, said: “The team at Nexus Studios are massive fans of The Gruffalo and were really excited to be able to bring the iconic characters to life in the forest through the magic of Augmented Reality.

“Working with Magic Light Pictures and the Forestry England has been a fantastic collaboration on many levels, from new technical innovation in AR and real time 3D characters, to creating an experience that works outside in all weathers and for all ages. The creative challenges have always been enjoyable and we can’t wait to see children (and their grown-ups!) playing it.”

The Gruffalo Spotters trail and Gruffalo Spotter 2 app will be live until winter 2021.