Lolly Adefope, Jayde Adams and Rob Brydon are among the cast lending their voices to a new animation entitled Tiddler, coming to the BBC this Christmas.

Adapted for the BBC from the hugely successful picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, Tiddler is the story of a little fish with a big imagination who gets lost in the deep wide ocean until he’s saved by his own storytelling.

Every day Tiddler tells a different story to his teacher and his friend Johnny Dory about why he’s late for school. His stories stretch from riding on seahorses or swimming around a shipwreck to being captured by a squid! His stories are so great that word of mouth helps them travel through the ocean and so, when Tiddler gets lost, he realises they may help him find a way home.

The film is an underwater adventure about the power of imagination and finding confidence in yourself – and how to be content as a little fish in a big ocean.

The half-hour animated special will be voiced by a stellar cast led by Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso, Game of Thrones) as the narrator, Lolly Adefope (Ghosts, Saltburn) as Miss Skate, Jayde Adams (Ruby Speaking, Alma’s Not Normal) as Plaice and other characters, plus Rob Brydon (Gavin and Stacey, The Trip) - returning for his twelfth Donaldson and Scheffler adaptation - in the multiple voice roles of Fisherman, Whale, Starfish and Anchovy. Tiddler will also feature the voices of child actors Reuben Kirby in the title role, and Theo Fraser as Johnny Dory.

Transmission date to be confirmed.