Master Moley: A magical new animated series about a little mole with a big heart

Get ready to meet the new hero of kids TV – Master Moley.

Voiced by Warwick Davis (Star Wars, Harry Potter), Master Moley is an adventurous mole, who lives deep in a burrow under Windsor Castle in the bustling city of MoleTown.

Inspired by bedtime stories created by British entrepreneur James Reatchlous, this heart-warming animation is filled with adventure, spirit and humour that kids will keep coming back to time and time again.

Master Moley By Royal Invitation, a 30-minute special, will air on November 28, 2020, with a full series of The Misadventures of Master Moley to follow in 2021.

Why are kids going to love the show? We caught up with the star of the show, Warwick Davis, to get some answers…

'You don't have to be extraordinary, but you can achieve great things'

The reason Master Moley looks destined to be a hit with kids is that it’s brimming with heart and affection.

“The special tells the story of Moley and his journey from being a big-hearted mole, but one who lacks confidence,” explains Davis.

“He doesn’t really stand out in the mole world, which is hopefully something lots of people can relate to - especially kids. The key message is you don’t have to be extraordinary, but you can achieve great things. “

Moley becomes the keeper of The Mystical Manual of Magic (“And that’s not easy to say” laughs Davis) and the hero of MoleTown.

“The special introduces the whole concept of Mole Town, which exists under our feet. Moles live on every continent on the planet. They’re everywhere. No matter where you are on Earth, you could have moles beneath you. So the show has a real international flavour.”

'Kids love to have fun'

Davis, whose previously worked on hit comedy series such as Life’s Too Short, says that it was the humour of Master Moley that appealed to him.

“Kids love to have fun and laugh at situations and characters, so that’s what I enjoy doing,” he said.

The actor added his own ad-libs and jokes in the recording studio and despite being off-camera, Davis said it was one of the most exhausting projects he’s ever done.

“It’s the amount of energy you have to put into it. You think it would be easy to just sit in front of the microphone, but actually you need more energy than if you were recording it in a live situation on a normal film set,” he said.

“You have to push all this energy through this voice. When I watch back the recording I’m always gesticulating and moving my body around. The animators actually often use those videos to take the movements and facial expressions for the characters. But it’s never easy, to get all the life and energy onto screen.”

'It comes from someone who wants to entertain and enthral children'

British entrepreneur James Reatchlous came up with the character of Master Moley when he was telling stories to his own children and Davis believes that shines through on the screen.

“The reason this show is happening is because of James’s enthusiasm. His relentless tenacity. Doors are often shut in your face when you’re trying to get things made. But the people who are willing to push those doors open again are the people who get success,” said the actor.

“I’m delighted for James. And the fact these are bedtime stories means that it comes from the right place. It comes from someone who wants to entertain and enthral children, which is hopefully what this show will do.”