The Highway Rat
Orange Eyes
TV Programming
England
2017
Total project grant (euros)
171,562
Percentage of budget funded
12.5%
Programme
Creative Europe
Sub-programme
MEDIA
Funding scheme
TV Programming
Call number
23/2016
Call publication date
23 Sep 2016
Application deadline
25 May 2017
Result publication date
25 Oct 2017
UK release date
25 Dec 2017
The Highway Rat is an animated half-hour Christmas special, based on the children’s picture book of the same name, written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. The programme is produced by Magic Light Pictures, the same team behind popular MEDIA-funded shows such as The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo’s Child and Room on the Broom.
Airing on Christmas Day on BBC One in 2017, the special features David Tennant, Rob Brydon, Nina Sosanya, Tom Hollander and Frances de la Tour as a motley crew of animal characters.
Image credit: UK producers Orange Eyes received a TV Programming grant for their adaptation of The Highway Rat. Image courtesy of BBC.





