David Farnor | On 07, May 2020

Andy Serkis is reading The Hobbit online for 12 hours non-stop this weekend.

The Hobbit marathon – or #Hobbitathon, as he has dubbed it – will see him take viewers on an armchair tour of Middle-earth. From an unexpected party to the last stage, Andy will guide audiences through the magical Rivendell, introduce them to the giant spiders in the labyrinths of Mirkwood and the evil goblins living among the roots of the Misty Mountains, until encountering the dragon Smaug and surviving the Battle of the Five Armies.

The marathon, which will begin at 10am on Friday 8th May will stream live throughout the day, aiming to raise funds for two charities: Best Beginnings, which is working tirelessly during the coronavirus pandemic to support babies, toddlers, pregnant families and new parents, and NHS Charities Together.

“So many of us are struggling in isolation during the lockdown. While times are tough, I want to take you on one of the greatest fantasy adventures ever written, a 12 hour armchair marathon across Middle Earth whilst raising money for two amazing charities which are doing extraordinary work right now to help those most in need in the UK,” the actor said in a statement.

The live-stream link will be posted on Andy’s GoFundMe page on Friday morning on his Twitter account. And yes, he probably will do the voice.

The initiative joins a similar move from JK Rowling and a host of celebrities – including Daniel Radcliffe and Eddie Redmayne – to read the first Harry Potter book online, with one chapter being streamed a week. And, of course, there’s a recent run of Tom Hardy reading CBeebies Bedtime Stories available on BBC iPlayer.

To donate to Andy Serkis’ appeal, click here.

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