Fans of Peter Rabbit, Mrs Tiggy-Winkle and Jemima Puddle-Duck are in luck – Penguin Random House is releasing a new audio edition of Beatrix Potter: The Complete Tales featuring a star-studded cast.
In honour of the British author’s birthday, the likes of Olivia Colman (The Crown), Mandip Gill (Doctor Who), Tom Hardy (Taboo) and Lily James (Cinderella) will be narrating 23 of Beatrix Potter’s classic stories, from The Tale of Mr. Tod (Hugh Bonneville) to The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies (Jenna Coleman).
The cast of Beatrix Potter: The Complete Tales, which will be available in audio download and physical CD on 17th September, also features The Stranger‘s Richard Armitage, Absolutely Fabulous’s Joanna Lumley, Homeland’s David Harewood, Broadchurch’s David Tennant, Doctor Who’s Pearl Mackie, This Way Up’s Aisling Bea, Doctor Foster’s Suranne Jones, Peep Show’s Robert Webb, Grantchester’s James Norton and The One Show’s Matt Baker among other stars.
Downton Abbey’s Bonneville said: “Reading The Tale of Mr. Tod again after many decades, I was delighted to discover that the animals that Beatrix Potter loved, drew and wrote such entertaining stories about have stood the test of time. Mischievous creatures, family calamities – action packed!”
“I was so thrilled to be asked to read The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck as I was a huge Beatrix Potter fan as a young girl and my son was gifted the whole Peter Rabbit library when he was born too,” said Jones. “The night before I went to record the story we all read it together which was incredibly sweet. I’m glad the characters have been committed to audio so many more families can share in their adventures.”
Beatrix Potter wrote all 23 children’s tales, including The Tale of Peter Rabbit and The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin, between 1901 and 1930, before dying aged 77 in 1943.
Various films about her life and her iconic stories have been made in recent years, including 2006’s Miss Potter, starring Renée Zellweger, and 2018’s Peter Rabbit, with James Corden voicing the eponymous bunny.
Beatrix Potter: The Complete Tales will be available to buy in CD form or download from 17th September. You can also order The World of Peter Rabbit – The Complete Collection from Amazon. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out ourTV guide.