Julia Donaldson reveals Superworm was partly inspired by Batman
We didn't see that one coming.
Superworm is the latest Julia Donaldson-inspired animation set to entertain kids up and down the nation on Christmas Day.
The heroic invertebrate, voiced by Matt Smith in this Magic Light Pictures adaptation, fancies himself as a bit of a superhero, and is always helping his garden friends out of sticky situations.
Whether he's acting as a skipping rope to keep some bored bees entertained, or shaping himself into a lasso to save a baby toad, Superworm is brave and strong.
If you think Superworm is sort of familiar, you'd be correct, as writer Donaldson revealed the idea for this character actually came from one of the world's favourite heroes.
Speaking to press including RadioTimes.com, Donaldson explained: "There are two origins. I'm sure everyone's noticed in all the books that Axel [Scheffler, illustrator] draws the most wonderful bugs which have been brought to life in the films. I'd long been thinking, 'I must write a bug story!'
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"And then I suppose superheroes were all the rage, and one of my grandsons is totally besotted with Batman. So I knew children liked superheroes, so then I just put the two things together."
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While the idea of a cute and friendly worm seems to leap off the page to us, for illustrator Scheffler, the creation of our hero wasn't too easy...
"That was a bit of a challenge," he explained. "But I do give my insects human faces to make them easier and to make them a little bit more sympathetic because insect faces are not very nice."
He teased: "I already had to animate a stick and then a worm - I had to think where to position the eyes. There's not much to a worm."
Superworm airs on BBC One on Christmas Day at 2.30pm. Take a look at more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.
