already familiar with their work will notice their trademark character design on display once more. The stars feature flattened heads with both eyes on the same side of the face. Their arms are stick-like and therefore perfect
for waving frantically up and down in times of trouble. Peppa and George wave theirs a lot. And George likes to cry as lot as well, usually in great rainbow-like arcs of tears. There's plenty of intuititive detail to pick up on too: Take the time when Peppa and George make a snowman. As they roll the snowman's body, their snowball turns in a lumpy, angular way, just like a real snowball should - it's terrific.
As for the soundtrack, well frankly, it's inspired. All the piggies snort and grunt as they speak, each in their own particular way. And similarly, Peppa's animal friends bark and bleat accordingly. Peppa and George love to laugh too, and their giggling is infectious. There are times when all four members of Peppa's happy family will literally fall on their back and kick their legs in the air in a fit of giggles. You'd have to be dour indeed not to giggle along with them. Peppa's giggly girly voice is provided by Lily Snowden Fine, the daughter Alison Snowdon and David Fine of Snowden Fine fame. Alison guest stars here too, as the voice of Grandma and Grandpa' s Parrot - who is also, coincidentally, the same parrot featured in the earlier, award-winning Astley Baker short film \Roger\Peppa's brother George, however, is a boy-girl combination, with young Oliver May and Alice May providing
the snorts and grunts. To get us in the right mood, each episode has its title spoken enthusiastically by Peppa/Lily.
This is a funtastic little series, beautifully animated and presented, and full of little pleasures for big pigs and piglets alike. Little wonder it's been such a hit on Channel 5 (it airs at 7:30am in the \Network have snapped this up for American broadcast. 2005 is set to be Peppa's year, with a top-selling DVD release already upon us and a plethora of tie-in toys in shops as you read this.
In May 2005, \Cartoons on the Bay festival, in Italy, including the coveted title of \European Programme of the Year\
\is so well crafted and the charming main character so universally appealing, that it crosses all borders....\
an Astley Baker Davies Ltd / Contender Entertainment Group production in association with Nick Jr. and Five
created and directed by Neville Astley and Mark Baker