Actor Mark Rylance, currently filming an adaptation of Hilary Mantel's novel Wolf Hall for BBC2, has taken his first role in children's TV, as the voice of the character Flop in a new CBeebies cartoon called Bing.
The animated series for toddlers is based on the Bing Bunny books written and illustrated by Ted Dewan, a US born author now living in the UK, which deals with the small but important dramas in children's lives, such as taking a bath and making a smoothie.
The mishaps, mess and outcomes are marked by a catchphrase, "It's a Bing thing".
Kay Benbow, the controller of CBeebies, said Bing was "animated reality TV for toddlers".
Rylance said: "Working on Bing has been a wonderful experience. Voicing Flop gave me a second chance to be a good parent – the experience reminded me of many things and people I had forgotten, which was sad sometimes, but ultimately very enriching."
The series is made by Acamar Films, part of the new series of commissions stimulated by the government tax credits introduced in 2013.
Rylance was artistic director of Shakespeare's Globe theatre in London for 10 years until 2006.
Bing, which is a 78-part series, will air in June.
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