David Tennant has bagged his first festive TV role for this coming Christmas, and it's so exciting we don't even care that it's only October.

David will be voicing the one and only Highway Rat, from legendary kids' author Julia Donaldson's book of (almost) the same name.

The half-hour animated special will see David voice the tricksy rat from the 2011 book alongside the likes of Rob Brydon, Nina Sosanya, Tom Hollander and Frances de le Tour.

BBC

In case The Highway Rat isn't on your reading list (and if not, why not?), we'll give you an outline of its "swashbuckling tale".

The Highway Rat is all about, well, a highway rat who's always hungry and on the look-out for biscuits and delicious sweet treats. He's just like us, basically, except he has fewer qualms about robbery.

The children's book follows the rat as he tears along the highway searching for snacks to steal until his sweet tooth "leads him to a sticky end".

Scholastic / Alison Green Books

Related: First look at David Tennant and Michael Sheen in Good Omens adaptation

But this isn't David's only upcoming cartoon role – the former Doctor Who lead has also recently bagged a starring role in Disney's DuckTales reboot.

David will be voicing the iconic character of Scrooge McDuck, and will even be joined by his previous companion Catherine Tate, who's set to play Scrooge McDuck's mortal enemy.

The Highway Rat will air on BBC One this festive period.

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