Latest news with #BedtimeStories


Daily Mail
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Superman star David Corenswet is set to swap Metropolis for a cosy book corner as he becomes the latest star to read a CBeebies Bedtime Story
Superman frontman David Corenswet is set to swap Metropolis for a cosy book corner as he becomes the latest star to read a CBeebies Bedtime Story. The new Superman star, 31, will bring his superhero sparkle to a young audience on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer, to coincide with the release of the much-anticipated film on Friday. The American actor will read What Does Daddy Do? by Rachel Bright, where Daisy wonders what her father does all day while she is at nursery. She knows he has 'mountains of paperwork to climb', and he always has to 'fly' and his boss is a dragon - but can he really be an explorer superknight? CBeebies' BedtIme Stories series now forms part of the channel's newly-launched Parenting platform, which creates a dedicated space for parents and carers, providing trusted advice, expert guidance and helpful resources to navigate the early years of childhood with confidence. The children's series has seen a string of big names tell tales to young viewers over the years - including Olivia Colman, Kylie Minogue, Billie Eilish, Lewis Hamilton, Harry Styles, Reese Witherspoon, Tom Hardy, and Sir Elton John. Moreover, Chris Hemsworth, Idris Elba, Justin Fletcher, James Norton, Dolly Parton, Ed Sheeran, Ryan Reynolds, Kate Winslet, Steve Carell, Eddie Redmayne, Chris Evans, Michael Palin, Dave Grohl, and Tom Hiddleston have also appeared. CBeebies Bedtime Story has already seen many other landmark firsts throughout its history. This includes Strictly Come Dancing champion Rose-Ayling Ellis reading the first ever story in British Sign Language and Rugby champion Rob Burrow reading the first story told using an eye controlled computer. In additional, Lora Fachie made history with the first ever braille story, Catherine, Princess of Wales becoming the first ever royal to read a story, cricketers Katherine Sciver-Brunt and Nat Sciver-Brunt becoming the first LGBTQ+ couple to read a story and astronaut Tim Peake as the first to read from space. The series airs on weekdays at 6.50pm on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer while David's story will air on Friday 11 July at 6.50pm. The series continues to get the nation reading with its star-studded guests, meaningful partnerships and brilliant stories that inspire a passion for the shared experience of reading. David stars as the newest Superman in the new action-packed film directed by James Gunn, set to hit UK theatres on 11 July. Warner Bros. released a new trailer for Superman earlier this month, as fans flocked to pick up their tickets just as they went on sale, seemingly at a record pace. Amazon announced also a special offer for Prime members to see Superman a few days before its July 11 release, with early screenings on July 8. With the trailer's debut, it was also announced by Fandango that the Prime early screenings were the ticket retailer's best first-day ticket pre-sales of 2025. Fans have not been hesitating to scoop up their own tickets for the July 11 release, with many taking to social media to show off their ticket purchases. Early box office projections have already been quite huge, with early numbers suggesting it could open between $154 million and $175 million. If this record pace continues, it could be even higher, as fans have continued to express their excitement on social media all day on Wednesday after the new trailer dropped. The trailer begins with a massive skyscraper falling and Superman swooping in to stop it from hitting the ground as we hear Lex Luthor (Nicholas) detailing his plan to destroy the Man of Steel. Luthor and his minions are seen destroying Superman's Fortress of Solitude, while we also see Superman/Clark Kent making out with Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnan), along with shots of his parents (Pruitt Taylor Vince, Neva Howell). Droids are seeing picking up a battered Superman and taking him to the Fortress, along with shots of Superman in battle with Luthor's various henchfolk. One particular shot fans have been cheering for shows Superman and his beloved dog Krypto the Superdog battle an enemy, literally punching his teeth out and hitting the camera lens, breaking the proverbial 'fourth wall.' Superman is also see clashing with the abrasive Green Lantern character Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), who challenges him to, 'make a move, big blue.' More shots show people all over the world rooting for Superman, which infuriates Luthor, who says, 'They chose him, let them die.'


Daily Mail
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The 18 best books for your kids this summer holiday
Picture Books SLEEP TIGHT, DISGUSTING BLOB by Huw Aaron (Puffin £7.99, 32pp) A monstrously original twist on a bedtime story in which Disgusting Blob is lulled to sleep with tales of how the other evil creatures are settling down: the Goblins and Glitches, the Werewolves and Witches – even Dracula has cleaned his fangs . . . Full of reassurance, humour and brilliant illustrations. WILD by Katya Balen, Illustrated by Gill Smith (Walker Books £12.99, 32pp) A little girl thrives in the wildness of the woods until her family move to the city. There she sees nothing but grey and worries she has 'lost my wild'. But even urban landscapes keep secrets and by following a bird she discovers that there is nature in everything – if you know where to look. An absolute joy. LETTERS TO A MONSTER by Patricia Forde, Illustrated by Sarah Warburton (Bloomsbury £12.99, 32pp) Sophie writes to the monster under her bed, demanding he leave or she'll call the Monster Police. But he replies to say he has already left, because of the gorilla hiding there . . . A friendship grows and Sophie realises she'd like the monster to come back. Perfect bedtime reading. GOZZLE by Julia Donaldson, Illustrated by Sara Ogilvie (Macmillan £12.99, 48pp) It's spring and a gosling hatches and believes Bear, emerging from winter sleep, is his Daddy. Nothing Bear does can shake off devoted Gozzle until summer arrives, bringing a family with whom he migrates for winter. Bear is bereft – until a lovely twist brings a happy ending. Superb. FRANK THE PIZZA by Eoin McLaughlin, Illustrated by Mike Byrne (HarperCollins £7.99, 32pp) His parents know that a little slice of pizza like Frank is too tempting, so when he's invited to a birthday party they protect him by topping him with anchovies and olives. He's shunned, until he meets Frances the cupcake, with similarly unappetising icing... Full of gourmet giggles and silliness. I COULD BE EATEN BY A SHARK by Marcela Ferreira, Illustrated by Mark Chambers (OUP £7.99, 32pp) Soothing young children's anxieties gets a clever spin in this story of Louie, terrified that he could be eaten by a shark wherever he goes – even in the park. Wise Grandpa recounts the story of the bear he feared, until he realised it was stopping him having fun. Gradually Louie gets his life back, with a delightful surprise ending. Young Fiction A MERMAID'S DIARY by Chris Riddell (Macmillan £12.99, 240pp) Sleepy Cove, home of little mermaid Atalanta, is under threat from unscrupulous developers. Outraged Atalanta gathers her 300 siblings and friends to protect the beach. Packed with puns and cultural jokes, Riddell's illustrations are stunning. Age 7+ HOW TO BE A SPY by Cecily Sawyer, Illustrated by David Tazzyman (HarperCollins £7.99, 240pp) Despite being only ten, Cecily is training to be a spy – assisted by her mouse, Mrs Maple Syrup. But when her parents go missing, Cecily's ability to code-crack and use gadgets prove vital in tracking down the gang who have taken her family. A must for every would-be 007. 8+ THE BOY WITH THE BIG DECISIONS by Helen Rutter (Scholastic £7.99, 360pp) This book gives readers the choice of where the story goes. Fred's parents make all his decisions – including his school. But Fred prefers the artistic Browtree academy, so when the bus arrives on his first day he (and you) must decide – should he pretend to be a pupil there? 8+ SCHOOL FOR FIREFLIES by Erica Gomez (Knights Of £7.99, 268pp) When friends Siddy and Zadie are enrolled in a secret, magic school, they discover both their fathers had gone there. But Siddy's dad is missing – accused of killing three former students – so when the girls find a lost diary they must use their powers to expose the enemy. Rip-roaring stuff. 9+ HIDDEN TREASURE by Jessie Burton (Bloomsbury £14.99, 320pp) During the First World War, Thames mudlark Bo finds precious jewels on the shore. But wicked Lord Muncaster demands she hand over the stones – sparking a thrilling mystery of treachery and deceit. The mystical power of grief that drives this life or death drama is deeply moving. 9+ THE BLOCKBUSTERS! by Frank Cottrell-Boyce (Macmillan £12.99, 258pp) When his mum loses her job, Rafa starts a new school where an inspirational teacher takes him to watch a movie being filmed locally. His resemblance to the child star, BB, leads to him being her body double – until she disappears, and Rafa finds himself on a madcap journey to Hollywood . . . Action-packed. 9+ THE DAWN OF ADONIS by Phil Earle (Andersen Press £7.99, 240pp) This prequel to Earle's award- winning When The Sky Falls gives the backstory of how Adonis, a silverback gorilla, came to London Zoo during the Second World War. When the baby ape is born at the docks, Toff and vet's daughter Nettie fight to rescue him from Toff's boss, an evil trader in exotic pets. 9+ YA THE OTHER GIRL by Emily Barr (Penguin £8.99, 368pp) Rich, troubled teen Tabbi is heading for a Swiss rehab clinic when she meets broke backpacker Ruby on a train and persuades her to swap identities. But who is conning whom? This thriller keeps you guessing until the end. 13+ BEST OF ALL WORLDS by Kenneth Oppel (Guppy Books £14.99, 256pp) Teenage Xavier, his father and stepmother wake up to find their house transported to an isolated setting. Yet all that's needed to survive is provided. Are they trapped or protected? Then another family arrives – but the dad is determined to escape. Who knows the truth? Gripping. 13+ LIVE by Luke Palmer (Firefly £9.99, 356pp) George is the driving force of his sixth-form band, but when tragedy strikes, everyone has to find their own way through grief. Tackling hard-hitting issues of online porn and sexism, this is authentic in its portrayal of teen boys, yet ultimately uplifting. 14+ Non-fiction THERE WAS A ROMAN IN YOUR GARDEN by Bettany Hughes, Illustrated by Nathan Reed (Puffin, £8.99 224pp) Historian Bettany Hughes asks readers to imagine they have dug up Roman artefacts in their garden and explore what it was like to a be a child 2,000 years ago through things as varied as jewels and knucklebones. Fact-filled, fascinating and fun. 7+ CHOOSE YOUR OWN EVOLUTION by Jules Howard Illustrated by Gordy Wright (Nosy Crow £14.99, 112pp) The premise here is intriguing – starting with the most primitive blob, you choose the next step in an evolutionary journey to discover which creature you might develop into next. (But be careful you don't become extinct . . .) 8+


The Independent
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Loyle Carner to lead music themed week of CBeebies Bedtime Stories
British rapper Loyle Carner will initiate a special Glastonbury -themed week of CBeebies Bedtime Stories. Carner is set to read from Leah Hayes's children's book I Touched the Sun, a tale about a young boy's dream of flying to the sun. His Bedtime Story will air on Monday at 6:50 pm on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer. The special week will also feature readings from other artists, including Abigail Morris, Sampha and Mike Skinner. Carner is also scheduled to perform on Glastonbury Festival's Other Stage this Friday.


The Hindu
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Jeethu Joseph's ‘Valathu Vashathe Kallan,' starring Biju Menon and Joju George, launched
We had previously reported that Drishyam-maker Jeethu Joseph's next is a feature film titled Valathu Vashathe Kallan, starring actors Biju Menon and Joju George in the lead. On Monday (May 26), the film went on floors with a pooja ceremony in Kochi. August Cinema, the banner backing the film, and the writer of the film, Dinu Thomas Ealan, shared pictures from the pooja ceremony on their social media handles to announce the news. Billed as 'a gripping tale where crime meets conscience,' Valathu Vashathe Kallan also stars Lena, Irshad Ali, Gokul, and Shaju Sreedhar. The film has Jeethu's frequent collaborators — cinematographer Satheesh Kurup, editor Vinayak VS and music director Vishnu Shyam — reuniting for the technical duties. August Cinema, Bedtime Stories, and Cineholix jointly produce the film. Interestingly, both Joju and Biju are set to be seen in big-ticket titles in Tamil. Joju will be seen soon in Suriya's Retro, while he is also part of Kamal Haasan-Mani Ratnam's Thug Life. Biju, on the other hand, will make a comeback in Tamil with Sivakarthikeyan's upcoming film with AR Murugadoss, titled Madharasi. Meanwhile, Jeethu is re-teaming with Malayalam superstar Mohanlal and producer Antony Perumbavoor for a third installment of Drishyam.


New Indian Express
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Biju Menon and Joju George to headline Jeethu Joseph's next, Valathu Vashathe Kallan
director Valathu Vashathe Kallan , with Koodasha . According to the makers, Valathu Vashathe Kallan is described as 'a gripping tale where crime meets conscience.' The cast also includes Lena, Irshad Ali, Aadujeevitham actor KR Gokul, and Shaju Sreedhar. Presented by Shaji Nadesan, the film is jointly produced under the banners of August Cinemas, Bedtime Stories, and Cineholix. On the technical front, it reunites Jeethu with his frequent collaborators—cinematographer Satheesh Kurup, editor Vinayak VS and music director Vishnu Shyam. The trio is also part of Jeethu's upcoming film , starring Asif Ali and Aparna Balamurali, which is expected to release later this year. Joju will next appear in , starring Suriya and directed by Karthik Subbaraj, scheduled for release on May 1. The Pani actor is also part of Mani Ratnam-Kamal Haasan's , which is slated to hit theatres on June 5. Biju also has AR Murugadoss-Sivakarthikeyan's , marking his return to Tamil cinema after 14 years. The film will arrive in cinemas on September 5. In Malayalam, the Ayyappanum Koshiyum actor has debutant Thamby's and Jis Joy's sequel to , alongside Asif Ali, in the pipeline. Meanwhile,