King Charles II sketch from Horrible Histories. Photo: BBCStars of award-winning children’s show Horrible Histories are to head to the big screen in a comedy movie about William Shakespeare.
The team behind the CBBC show have won fans young and old and have landed titles at the TV Baftas as well as the British Comedy Awards.
The six lead actors – Mathew Baynton, Simon Farnaby, Martha Howe-Douglas, Jim Howick, Laurence Rickard and Ben Willbond – will reunite to star in the film, Bill, later this year.
Baynton will also be seen starring alongside James Corden in a new BBC1 sitcom The Wrong Mans over the coming months.
The Horrible Histories stars will take on several roles “in the style of the Python films”, according to film-makers.
Rickard and Willbond have scripted the movie, which sees hopeless lute player Bill Shakespeare follow his dream of becoming a writer.
They said: “We’re playing with history, just as Shakespeare did, for the entertainment of the audience. And we like to think he’d be OK with it. Apart from the bit where he’s dressed as a tomato.”
Christine Langan, head of BBC Films which is backing the production, said: “We’re thrilled that BBC Films is making the first film starring this team of incredibly talented and popular British comedy writers and performers.
“Horrible Histories has been a terrific success and is hugely popular with both kids and their parents.”