The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse to air on TV this Christmas

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse will air on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and Apple TV+ this Christmas.

(Image credit: credit unknown)

Charlie Mackesy’s heartwarming book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse has been adapted for the small screen and will debut on the BBC this Christmas.

The illustrated international best-seller, published in 2019, tells the story of an unlikely friendship between a boy, a mole, a fox and a horse as they travel together in the boy’s search for home.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

TOPICS

Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse brought to life on TV this Christmas

“The journey of making the film of The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse with my incredibly gifted animation team has been a magical one,” said author Charlie, who co-directed the film with Peter Baynton.

“I never dreamt it would happen — but it’s so moving to think the story will be watched at Christmas. I really hope it brings a bit of joy, laughter and comfort.”

Tom Hollander will be the voice of the mole, Idris Elba the fox, Gabriel Byrne the horse and Jude Coward Nicoll the boy.

It will feature an original score by composer Isobel Waller-Bridge, performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra and conducted by Geoff Alexander.

Charlotte Moore, BBC chief content officer said the “heartwarming and inspirational story” is about the “importance of love, kindness and friendship”.

“It’s the perfect fit for Christmas on the BBC and a reminder to us all about what really matters in this world,” she added.

The Matthew Freud production is produced by Cara Speller, of Nonemore Productions, and J.J. Abrams and Hannah Minghella of Bad Robot Productions. It has been adapted from the book in collaboration with Jon Croker.

You might also be interested in:

31 books that pony-mad children of all ages will enjoy

‘Let the hunt for Rupert Campbell-Black commence!’ Disney+ to bring iconic Jilly Cooper novel to life

Review: Horsepower – new Amazon Prime Video series is much more than a racing documentary

Love Frozen? Here’s everything you need to know about the horses that star in the film…