Tale of the unexpected

Beatrix Potter meets a young Roald Dahl in an enchanting true story starring Dawn French

- REBECCA MAHONEY, CAREN CLARK

A remarkable real-life encounter between two literary giants is reimagined in Sky One’s festive film, which follows a young Roald Dahl living out his dream of meeting famous children’s author Beatrix Potter.

With Christmas looming, the drama begins with six-year-old Dahl (Harry Tayler) grieving for his late father and finding solace in Potter’s tales of Peter Rabbit and Jemima Puddle-Duck.

When his mother, Sofie (Jessica Hynes), encourages him to meet the author, they board a train to the Lake District, where Potter (Dawn French) is facing a deadline for her latest tale.

But while shooing away carol singers and trespassing fans, an increasingly cantankerous Potter also discovers her eyesight is failing and takes her frustration out on her ever-patient husband, William (Rob Brydon).