David Farnor | On 30, Nov 2018

Families across England will get a first look at some of the BBC’s cracking Christmas content this December, with screenings of family favourites Zog and The Midnight Gang.

Nine cities around England will host the premieres, and families attending will be among the first to see the much-loved stories brought to life on the big screen.

Zog is the latest animated adaptation of a Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler picture book. It tells the story of a keen but accident-prone dragon who gets himself into mischief whilst learning how to fly, roar, breathe fire and fight knights in his first four years at Dragon School. The characters are voiced by a star-studded cast led by Sir Lenny Henry and Game of Thrones star Kit Harington and including Hugh Skinner as Zog and Patsy Ferran as Princess Pearl. It is made by Magic Light Pictures, producers of other Donaldson and Scheffler adaptations including The Gruffalo, Stick Man and The Highway Rat.

Families will also get a chance to see the latest adaptation of a David Walliams book. The Midnight Gang stars David himself and tells the story of a young boy called Tom who finds himself in hospital after being hit on the head by a cricket ball. On the children’s ward, he discovers the Midnight Gang, a secret group of children who go on midnight adventures in the hospital making dreams come true. Walliams appears in The Midnight Gang as the headmaster. He is joined by Alan Davies as the scary porter, Haydn Gwynne as the kid-hating matron and Amit Shah as the slightly nervous Dr Luppers, while Tom is played by Oliver Zetterstrom. The Midnight Gang is made by King Bert Productions.

The Children’s Christmas Premiere Tour will start in Newcastle on Saturday 15th December and finish in York on 23rd December, spreading festive cheer across the country in the run up to the big day.

As well as a sneak peek of Zog and The Midnight Gang, families will also be able to walk the red carpet and pose for photos with famous props from some of the BBC’s biggest shows.

In Newcastle, Sheffield, Bradford and Liverpool, the screenings will take place inside a specially built BBC Christmas cinema. And in some locations, there will be special screenings for school groups.

Helen Thomas, Director of BBC England says: “These are two hugely popular children’s stories brought to life brilliantly by the BBC. I hope people will apply for free tickets so they can see them before anyone else. We want it to be a special experience for families ahead of a special time of year. Bringing content and exciting events directly to our audiences is part of our push to better serve communities across England.”

Tickets to this year’s screenings will be available through a ballot which will be open from Tuesday 27 November until Monday 3rd December. To enter, visit the BBC Shows and Tours website.

Here’s the schedule:

Saturday 15 December – Central Station, Newcastle

11am – Zog
11.45am – Zog
1pm – The Midnight Gang

Sunday 16 December – Tudor Square, Sheffield

2pm – Zog
2.45pm – Zog
4pm – The Midnight Gang

Monday 17 December – City Park, Bradford

4pm – Zog
5pm – The Midnight Gang

Tuesday 18 December – Birmingham Town Hall

4pm – Zog
4.45pm – The Midnight Gang

Wednesday 19 December – Williamson Square, Liverpool

4pm – Zog
4.45pm – The Midnight Gang

Thursday 20 December – MediaCityUK, Salford

4pm – Zog
4.45pm – The Midnight Gang

Friday 21 December – Cinema City, Norwich

11am – Zog
midday – Zog
4.15pm – The Midnight Gang

Saturday 22 December – Waterside Centre, Lincoln

midday – Zog
12.45pm – Zog
2pm – The Midnight Gang

Sunday 23 December – City Screen, York

11am – Zog
midday – The Midnight Gang

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