Here is the plain text result:
If you asked TV viewers to name a favourite double act, chances are the two stars of Vengeance Most Fowl would be close to the top of the list. It’s Wallace & Gromit’s first major appearance in over a decade, and the first film not to feature the voice of Peter Sallis as the cheese-loving inventor.
“It has been quite emotional [doing this production] since we lost Peter, he was such an original, unique voice,” says Nick Park of Sallis, who died in 2017 at the age of 96. “So it’s very hard for anyone to step into his shoes. But we have been blessed with a youngish actor whom we’ve known for many years who can do a fantastic Wallace impersonation.
Take a bow, Ben Whitehead – the 47-year-old actor and voice artist says he feels honoured to be taking on the role. But also admits to feeling a degree of pressure.
“Enormous pressure!” he tells the BBC. “Because it’s a very popular character. I got to work with Peter [Sallis] a couple of times for [2005’s] The Curse of the Were-Rabbit film.
This isn’t the only familiar element to appear in this latest story. This new adventure also features an old villain, the criminal mastermind Feathers McGraw, a chicken-impersonating-penguin whom Wallace & Gromit – mostly Gromit – defeated in 1993’s The Wrong Trousers.
“Whenever we’re out and about talking about the future of Wallace & Gromit, the single most asked question is ‘when will Feathers be back?”, says Merlin Crossingham, who directs Vengeance Most Fowl alongside Nick Park.
Wallace & Gromit were first introduced to audiences with 1989’s A Grand Day Out. Since then their adventures have involved everything from malfunctioning clothing to mysterious were-rabbits.
“I think Wallace & Gromit have so many facets to their relationship,” says Crossingham. “They are best pals. They’re kind of partners in crime, they’re man and dog. And hopefully in the films, their stories, and their relationship everybody young and old relates to them.
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is on BBC One at 18.10 on Christmas Day.
Source link
