When is Quentin Blake's The Clown release date? Plot, narrator and trailer
Everything you need to know about the animation coming to Channel 4 this Christmas.
It wouldn't be Christmas without some charming family animations airing on TV, and this year Channel 4 is bringing us a new adaptation of classic children's book Clown, by Quentin Blake.
The half-hour animation uses traditional hand-drawn techniques to capture Blake's unique style – and Channel 4 has now offered a sneak peek by releasing a 40-second teaser trailer
The story concerns a toy clown who tries to find a new home after he is thrown away, and Blake has explained how the central character has always been one of his favourites,
The legendary illustrator said, "It’s wonderful now to see him off the page and running about on his own.”
Read on for all the details about Quentin Blake's Clown – including which A-lister is narrating the programme and the first look at that trailer.
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When is Quentin Blake's The Clown on TV?
The programme will air on Channel 4 at 7.45pm on Christmas Day.
The programme will also be accompanied by a short ‘making of’ special feature with contributions by Quentin Blake, Helena Bonham Carter and the key animators and executives, giving insight into the creative process.
Channel 4 Head of Drama, Caroline Hollick said: ”We’re delighted that this Christmas, Channel 4 will show this enduring tale of a box of once much-loved, now discarded toys and Clown’s impassioned journey to find them all a new home.
"Quentin Blake’s unique style of drawing has been delightfully realised in animation form by the extremely talented team at Eagle Eye Drama."
Quentin Blake's The Clown narrator
The programme will be narrated by none other than Hollywood star Helena Bonham Carter, with Blake explaining he felt "very privileged that Helena is narrating the story".
Bonham Carter has said that the international flavour of the production – the producer and many of the artists are Italian – really appealed to her.
“I was immediately drawn to this project by the gathering of so many artists from all the different corners of the world,” she told Radio Times. “I love the idea of bridging that gap, particularly in a time when COVID has made everyone so separate."
Quentin Blake's The Clown plot
The series is a direct adaptation of Quentin Blake's book, which told a story entirely through illustration.
The story concerns a little toy clown, who is thrown away with a load of old discarded toys and then embarks on a quest to find a new, loving home for himself and his friends.
Is there a trailer for Quentin Blake's The Clown?
There is – you can check out the 40-second teaser below to get a glimpse of the wonderful animation style and Bonham Carter's voiceover.
Quentin Blake's Clown is available to buy as a book from Amazon.
Looking for something else to watch? Check out our guide to the best Christmas TV or see what else is on with our TV Guide
Authors
Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.
