Rob Brydon will lead the all-star cast of the BBC's upcoming special The Scarecrows' Wedding.
The Gavin and Stacey star is lending his voice to an adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's beloved children's book of the same name, with the animated film set to air this Christmas on BBC One and iPlayer.
The Scarecrows' Wedding is described as "an enchanting story about two devoted scarecrows, Betty O’Barley and Harry O’Hay, who are planning a wedding to remember".
The synopsis continues: "When Harry insists on leaving the farm to collect one last thing for their big day, a smooth-talking scarecrow named Reginald Rake swoops in with plans of his own. Chaos follows, and soon Betty’s in danger and everything’s at risk. Can Harry get back in time and save the day?
"Full of heart, humour and adventure, this is the joyful tale about loyalty, love and learning that the most important thing isn’t a grand gesture – it’s simply being together."
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Brydon – who has lent his voice to all 12 of the BBC's previous animated adaptations of Donaldson and Scheffler's books – will voice Reginald Rake.
Jessie Buckley and Domhnall Gleeson will voice Betty O'Barley and Harry O’Hay respectively, with Slow Horses star Sophie Okonedo narrating the story.
Donaldson said that The Scarecrows’ Wedding is her "favourite of all the books" she's created with Scheffler.
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"It's a love story set on a farm by the sea, and the story contains a lot of comedy and a Hollywood-style villain (I thought of David Niven when I created that character)," she added.
"The cast has brought such warmth and playfulness to the characters of Betty and Harry and the various animals, and Reginald Rake played by Rob Brydon is a real cad!"
It comes after Brydon was announced as the host of Destination X, a new reality competition series from the BBC.
The "innovative" series, which will "combine spectacular adventure travel and immersive gameplay with the ultimate guessing game", will air on BBC One and iPlayer this year, though a specific date is yet to be announced.
The Scarecrows' Wedding will air this Christmas on BBC One and iPlayer.
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Social Executive, Entertainment Portfolio After completing her joint honours degree in Journalism and English Literature at Cardiff University, Iona joined Digital Spy as a Content Production Intern in 2022, where she wrote across both news and features, specialising in TV and movies. Following her internship, Iona continued contributing to the site as a freelance reporter, becoming social executive for the Hearst UK entertainment portfolio in summer 2025. Iona now leads the DS social channels, covering red carpets with stars such as Paul Mescal, Austin Butler, and more.
