“It’s wonderful to see the characters that I’ve known for such a long time suddenly moving across the screen in front of me. The BBC and Eagle Eye have brought them to life beautifully and I’m so grateful.” — Sir Quentin Blake

BBC Children’s and Education will bring two Quentin Blake stories to family audiences across the UK this Easter, starring Alison Steadman, Simon Pegg and Adrian Lester.

Snuff and Mrs Armitage on Wheels will launch this Easter weekend on CBBC, BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Families can enjoy the latest heart-warming stories and whimsical adventures in the Quentin Blake’s Box of Treasures collection on CBBC on Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 March and on BBC One on Sunday 31 March and Monday 1 April.

Simon Pegg (Mission Impossible, Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead) voices Snuff’s Sir Thomas Magpie, the village knight well-known for both his generosity and love of flamboyant hats. Pegg returns to the series, having also starred in Zagazoo, and will feature again in the upcoming Angel Pavement instalment.

Alison Steadman (Gavin and Stacey, Here We Go) stars as the voice of inventor extraordinaire Mrs Armitage in Mrs Armitage on Wheels. The entire series is narrated by Adrian Lester (Hustle, Primary Colors, The Day After Tomorrow) and also stars Nina Sosanya (Screw, Good Omens).

The landmark animated boxset of hand-picked specials is based on six iconic best-selling books (Jack and Nancy, Zagazoo, Snuff, Mrs Armitage on Wheels, Loveykins, and Angel Pavement) by one of Britain’s most illustrious and loved authors, Quentin Blake.

Created with traditional hand-drawn animation techniques to capture the iconic nature of Quentin Blake’s stories, Quentin Blake’s Box of Treasures adds to the BBC’s long established tradition of animated specials for family audiences.

The animated boxset also contains an original score crafted for each episode and performed by the BBC Philharmonic orchestra.

Quentin Blake’s Box of Treasures was commissioned by BBC Children’s and Education and produced by Eagle Eye Drama in a co-production with Creative Conspiracy and in association with animation studios Spicy Acorn, Tchack and Kong Studio. The series is directed by Gerrit Bekers working to Eagle Eye’s creative director for animation Massimo Fenati.

Sir Quentin Blake says: “It’s wonderful to see the characters that I’ve known for such a long time suddenly moving across the screen in front of me. The BBC and Eagle Eye have brought them to life beautifully and I’m so grateful.”

Patricia Hidalgo, Director of BBC Children’s and Education, says: ““Quentin Blake’s Box of Treasures is a shining example of our culturally relevant content that brings families together. These beautiful animations represent the best of British storytelling and are brought to life with a stellar line-up of talent and beautiful music performed by our friends in the BBC Philharmonic orchestra. I hope they bring delight and entertainment to our family audiences across the UK this Easter weekend!”

Tess Cuming, executive producer at Eagle Eye, says: “We’re delighted that both young and adult audiences have already responded so enthusiastically to the charming worlds of Quentin Blake’s ‘Zagazoo’ and ‘Jack and Nancy’ and can’t wait for viewers to now enjoy the adventures of the indomitable Mrs Armitage, brought to life so vividly by Alison Steadman, and Simon Pegg’s laugh-out-loud Sir Thomas Magpie, in what should be a real Easter double treat!”

Adrian Lester says: “The tradition of shared family viewing during the holidays is something we should cherish – we need more of those moments. It’s a pleasure to narrate these animated specials that are full of charm, humour, wit and nostalgia that families and friends can enjoy together.”

Snuff

Sir Thomas Magpie, the village knight well-known for both his generosity and love of flamboyant hats, despairs that his clumsy page Snuff, who can’t horse-ride, duel, or even dance will ever learn the tricky skills he needs to one day be a knight himself. But when four bad thieves threaten to raid a local bootmaker’s shop, Snuff has a clever idea to outfox the villains and save the day. His reward? His very own horse and fancy hat, just like a proper knight!

Simon Pegg says: “Snuff is a story about overcoming odds, seizing opportunities and finding your own path to greatness. Plus, who doesn’t love a story with flamboyant hats and daring escapades? It’s great to be part of bringing one of Quentin Blake’s illustrious tales to life.”

Snuff will air on CBBC and BBC iPlayer on Saturday 30 March, and on BBC One on Sunday 31 March.

Mrs Armitage on Wheels

Inventor extraordinaire Mrs Armitage and faithful dog Breakspear love adventurous hobbies like skydiving until an accident dents Mrs Armitage’s confidence. Recovered, she plans a short cycling trip, but keeps putting it off adapting her bike with horns, a tool kit, and even a sail! The ‘land yacht’ eventually launches, but a further accident leaves Mrs Armitage doubly nervous. Luckily, her Uncle Cosmo comes to the rescue, gifting Mrs Armitage his old car and getting her finally back on the road!

Alison Steadman says: “Being part of Quentin Blake’s Box of Treasures this Easter has been an absolute delight. These heartwarming tales are a testament to the timeless magic of storytelling. I’m thrilled to bring Mrs Armitage to life and share her whimsical adventures with family audiences!”

Mrs Armitage on Wheels will air on CBBC and BBC iPlayer on Sunday 31 March and on BBC One on Monday 1 April.