The Tiger Who Came To Tea is being turned into a TV show

The beloved children's book, The Tiger Who Came to Tea, is being turned into an animated television special.

Channel 4 will be brining the book - by Judith Kerr - to telly screens in time for Christmas 2019. It will be created by Lupus Films, the makers of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt and The Snowman and The Snowdog. The world famous book tells the tale of a "tea-guzzling tiger who turns up unannounced and eats and drinks Sophie and mum out of house, home and bathwater before disappearing into the night." It has sold more than 5 million copies since it was first published in 1968. The 30-minute special will use hand-drawn animation to bring the beloved book to our telly screens. Caroline Hollick, Channel 4 Head of Drama said:

“The Tiger who came to Tea was one of my favourite books as a child, and I loved reading it to my own children when they were small. "I’m thrilled that Channel 4 is bringing this beloved book to life this coming Christmas, so we can enjoy it all over again, as well as introduce the story to a whole new audience.”

Chloe Tucker, Commissioning Executive, Channel 4 Drama added:

“We are delighted to bring Judith Kerr's iconic and much-loved children's book to our screens. The Tiger Who Came to Tea is a timeless classic, and we hope this film will capture the same special place in every family's imagination watching it. "This will be real a Christmas treat, created by the wonderful Lupus Films, who created We’re Going on a Bear Hunt for us and whose hand-drawn animation is perfect for bringing classic children’s books to life.”

Ruth Fielding, producer and co-founder of Lupus Films said:

“We are delighted to be creating a new animated film for Channel 4 using our unique hand-drawn style. "This timeless tale, with huge cross generational appeal, is the perfect literary classic to adapt for a seasonal special when the whole family can come together to watch it. We cannot wait to bring Judith’s delightful illustrations to life in animation and have assembled an exceptional team to do so”.