In scary and uncertain times, there's nothing like snuggling down to a good bedtime story to send you off into a peaceful sleep.
Wanting to help keep the nation's children entertained and happy during this challenging and irregular period in their lives, Tom Hardy is returning to CBeebies Bedtime Stories.
The brand new selection of six stories, all read aloud by the award-winning actor, will be aired daily from Monday, April 27 to Friday, May 1, with a special sixth story yet to have a confirmed date.
The stories were filmed safely in Tom's garden, following all social distancing guidance, and feature several appearances from his dear friend Blue, the French bulldog.
Related: 13 of the most surprising celebrities to have read CBeebies Bedtime Stories
The stories have been chosen to help children understand and process this confusing time, starting with Hug Me by Simone Ciraolo on Monday, April 27 at 6.50pm. It tells the story of a young cactus who longs for a hug within a family that isn't the touchy feely kind.
What to Read Next
Tom welcomes everyone to the episode saying: "Hello. I'm Tom. Sometimes, on a day like this, I feel strong and happy. But on other days, I just need somebody to give me a hug. Tonight's bedtime story is all about a little cactus called Felipe, who just wants a hug too."
Little Felipe goes on a mission to find a hug, and Tom imparts the wisdom of that successful mission to close the episode, explaining: "So, in the end Felipe found someone to hug. It's not always possible to hug the ones that you love. But they're always there, in your heart."
Other stories teach lessons about long-distance friendship, courage and problem solving.
Cheryl Taylor, head of content for BBC Children's, said: "It goes without saying how thrilled we are to have Tom reading more stories for us. It's during challenging times like this that the BBC serves its purpose to entertain the whole of the UK, and these new stories are guaranteed to do just that with their themes of long-distance friendship, sharing problems and true courage in overcoming seemingly-impossible challenges."
Tom is the most popular CBeebies Bedtime Stories reader of all time. Since his first appearance in 2016, his stories have been requested over one million times on BBC iPlayer, so this news is sure to make a lot of people very happy.
Full Schedule
Monday, April 27: Hug Me by Simone Ciraolo – About Felipe the young cactus who really needs a hug but his family just isn't the touchy-feely kind. He sets off to find a friend of his own – and a hug.
Tuesday, April 28: Under the Same Sky by Robert Vescio and Nicky Johnston – About two children on opposite sides of the world who crave friendship. Is it possible to be friends across the miles?
Wednesday, April 29: There's a Tiger in the Garden by Lizzy Stewart – About the power of imagination being able to take you anywhere, even for Nora who doesn’t believe her Grandma when she says she’s seen a tiger in the garden.
Thursday, April 30: Don't Worry, Little Crab by Chris Haughton – About mustering the courage to try something new and how saying "don't worry, I'm here" can help tentative little crabs discover the brilliant worlds that await when they take the plunge.
Friday, May 1: The Problem with Problems by Rachel Rooney and Zehra Hicks – A bold, humorous and insightful story about how to deal with problems.
CBeebies Bedtime Stories airs each weekday at 6.50pm on the CBeebies channel, and episodes are also available on BBC iPlayer.
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Elena Chabo is Cosmopolitan UK's former beauty writer, working on everything from buzzy celeb news and trending beauty, to sincere first-person reviews and engaging video content for social media. She also creates meatier features and expert-led how-to guides, for print and online. Her passion for Black beauty, textured hair, and the ways beauty interacts with culture, society, identity and relationships, quickly took over her writing career and led her into beauty journalism. Following an MA in Magazine Journalism in 2017, she cut her teeth across various roles at Stylist Magazine, before taking on a Digital Writer role at Good Housekeeping. It was here that beauty took centre stage and she launched and ran the site's first stand-alone beauty section. Remaining at Hearst, she joined the Cosmo beauty team in 2022. Find her on LinkedIn.
