Tom Hardy returns to Cbeebies Bedtime Stories at Christmas

Tom Hardy will return to CBeebies Bedtime Stories over Christmas, accompanied by his French bulldog Blue.

The Mad Max: Fury Road star first read a story to children on the channel in 2016 and since then his stories have been requested more than one million times on BBC iPlayer.

The British actor, best known for roles in Dunkirk, The Dark Knight Rises and Venom, will return to the Cbeebies armchair to read An Odd Dog Christmas by Rob Biddulph on Christmas Eve.

The tale follows a dog searching for the perfect present before she discovers the true meaning of Christmas.

On Christmas Day, Hardy will narrate The Christmas Pine by Julia Donaldson, accompanied by Blue.

The picture book, illustrated by Victoria Sandoy, is based on the true story of the Christmas tree that stands in London’s Trafalgar Square which is given each year by the Mayor of Oslo in Norway as a symbol of peace.

Hardy has proved popular on the children’s show, having previously spent a week during the first lockdown reading a new story each day.

The 44-year-old recorded the stories from his garden, in line with social distancing guidelines, in a bid to keep children entertained during those challenging times.

The first story he read, Hug Me by Simone Ciraolo, was about a young cactus who really needs a hug, but his family “just isn’t the touchy-feely kind” so he sets off to find a friend of his own – and a hug.

The award-winning actor joins a long list of stars who have previously read CBeebies Bedtime Stories, including Sir Elton John, Ed Sheeran, Dolly Parton, Rege-Jean Page, Felicity Jones and Oti Mabuse.