This article is brought to you by our exclusive subscriber partnership with our sister title USA Today,
and has been written by our American colleagues.
It does not necessarily reflect the view of The Herald.
Actor Henry Golding is taking on a narrating role in a new animated project.
Best known for his roles in Crazy Rich Asians and The Gentlemen, he will narrate a new Thomas the Tank Engine series, Thomas & Friends Railway Stories.
The blue train and his friends have entertained the natio for more than 80 years, and now children can look forward to a new series starting today (September 17).
Golding follows in the footsteps of Beatles musician Sir Ringo Starr, who famously voiced the original television adaptation.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DdCnYdXMIYQ/
The British actor, 39, said he was in the “shadow of giants” following in the footsteps of Sir Ringo and Pierce Brosnan, who narrated a 2008 movie special.
Mr Golding said: “I think we bring a new spin and a new sort of excitement to Thomas, and we’re kind of bringing it back up to date, which is the exciting part.”
How to watch new Thomas the Tank Engine series voiced by Henry Golding
The series will premiere with a 30-minute episode titled Really Helpful Engines on the Thomas & Friends YouTube channel today, before airing on Channel 5’s Milkshake! in October.
The full series is expected to debut in early 2027.
Mr Golding also spoke about the enduring message of the series.
He said: “I think some of the most important sort of themes that run through Thomas & Friends really is sort of all about friendship and teamwork, and this series and special strengthens that.
“And I think it’s so important to impart that on our children, because, you know, sometimes we often feel alone, but we need to realise that our friends are more than willing to help.
“Sometimes we just have to ask them.”
Thirteen-year-old Harry Sparkes, from Harpenden in Hertfordshire, will voice Thomas in the new series.
He has kept his weekly recording sessions a secret from classmates for the past nine months, telling them he was attending physiotherapy for a foot injury.
Mr Sparkes said: “It feels amazing, because I played and watched Thomas as a kid, and now I get to be Thomas.
Harry Sparkes told his classmates he was going to physiotherapy sessions, but he was actually recording his voiceover for the new Thomas the Tank Engine series. (Image: David Parry/PA Media Assignments)
He said he was proud to be part of a show that will be enjoyed by a new generation.
The youngster said: “I think my friends will react really weirdly to hearing like someone that they see every day and hearing their own voice just come out of TV, because it’s not something which you would normally see in school.
“So yeah, I think it would just be crazy.”
Mattel, which owns the Thomas the Tank Engine franchise, said the new series would “introduce fans to a refreshed world of Sodor, while still celebrating the iconic railway action we have all known and loved since its debut as a classic book in 1945.”
Ted Wu, Mattel’s general manager and global head of vehicles and building sets, said: “Thomas & Friends has been a trusted companion for families for over 80 years.
TV shows that defined our childhood
“This relaunch celebrates the meaningful stories about friendship and helping others that have defined the franchise, while bringing it to life in ways that feel fresh and relevant for today’s preschool audience.”
Thomas the Tank Engine originally appeared in The Railway Series, written by Reverend Wilbert Awdry and first published in 1945.
The books introduced readers to a world of talking locomotives, including Thomas and his friends Gordon, Henry and James.
- Celebrity Traitors fans all say the same thing about BBC show as Traitors are chosen
- Cineworld customers angry as UK cinema chain makes ‘nightmare’ change to tickets
- Corrie star who has never ‘been on the panel before’ joins Loose Women in new role
The character was later adapted for television by Britt Allcroft as Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, using model trains and narrated by Sir Ringo.
In 2000, Thomas made his big-screen debut in Thomas and the Magic Railroad, a live-action film starring Peter Fonda.
In 2009, the series, now known as Thomas and Friends, saw its characters depicted in CGI for the first time, having seen CGI effects used in 2008, while in 2021, Thomas and Friends: All Engines Go saw the characters as 2D animations.
Will your children be watching the new Thomas the Tank Engine series? Let us know in the comments.
