David Tennant is lending his voice to a new BBC animation which will be broadcast this Christmas.

The Highway Rat by Julia Donaldson and Adel Scheffler is being turned into a half hour animated special.

Tennant will play the titular role alongside Rob Brydon as the narrator, Nina Sosanya as the Duck, Tom Hollander as the Squirrel and Frances de le Tour as the Rabbit.

The Highway Rat is about a ravenous rat who craves buns, biscuits and all sweet things. Tearing along the highway, he searches for sugary treats to steal, until his sweet tooth leads him to a sticky end.

“Give me your pastries and puddings! Give me your chocolate and cake! For I am the Rat of the Highway, and whatever I want I take,” he cries.