Tom Hardy is recording a new batch of CBeebies Bedtime Stories

The actor will be joined by his dog Blue for storytime
Kimberley Bond15 April 2020

Tom Hardy is returning to CBeebies to read a brand new collection of bedtime stories especially for children (and a few thirsty parents).

The 42-year-old, who has starred in films such as Mad Max: Fury Road and Venom, read his first bedtime story back in 2016 – with his stories having since been requested over a million times on BBC iPlayer.

Now, starting from 27th April to 1st May, Hardy will read a brand new story to children, with an additional sixth story to also be read at a later date.

Hardy is returning to the BBC’s children’s channel to keep little ones “entertained” during the ongoing coronavirus crisis, the BBC has told PA.

Tom Hardy - In pictures

1/30

The tales are set to reassure and put children’s minds at ease, with the first story looking at comfort while social distancing.

The first story Hardy will read is Hug Me, by Simone Ciraolo, which follows a cactus called Felipe as he searches for a hug.

Introducing the story, Hardy will tell children: “Hello. I’m Tom. Sometimes, on a day like this, I feel strong and happy.

“But on other days, I just need somebody to give me a hug. Tonight’s bedtime story is all about a little cactus called Felipe, who just wants a hug too.”

Hardy will also add another note of reassurance at the end of the tale, adding: “It’s not always possible to hug the ones that you love. But they’re always there, in your heart.”

Other stories Hardy will read include Under The Same Sky, by Robert Vescio and Nicky Johnston, which sees two children in different parts of the world looking for friendship, and There’s A Tiger In The Garden by Lizzy Stewart, which looks at the power of imagination.

Don’t Worry, Little Crab by Chris Haughton observes courage, while Rachel Rooney’s the Problem with Problems imagines worrying situations as creatures.

In line with social distancing regulations, Hardy will read the bedtime stories in his garden, with his French Bulldog Blue joining him for some of the tales.

Cheryl Taylor, head of content for BBC Children’s, said: “It goes without saying how thrilled we are to have Tom reading more stories for us.

“It’s during challenging times like this that the BBC serves its purpose to entertain the whole of the UK and these new stories are guaranteed to do just that with their themes of long-distance friendship, sharing problems and true courage in overcoming seemingly impossible challenges.”

CBeebies Bedtime Stories are on each weekday at 6.50pm on the CBeebies channel and is also available on BBC iPlayer.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in