BBC TWO ANNOUNCE NEW DOCUMENTARY CELEBRATING QUENTIN BLAKE

In this warm celebration of one of Britain’s best loved artists, the illustrator and author Sir Quentin Blake tells the story of his career, while working at speed to create an extraordinary new work especially for this documentary.

On a canvas 30 feet long and 7 feet high, self-portraits and classic characters emerge magically before our eyes; all done in the instantly recognisable, ebullient style that has taken root in the imaginations of successive generations of children and parents.

There are fascinating insights into his famously fruitful collaboration with Roald Dahl, who once declared that “when people picture the BFG, what they see is Quent’s drawing” (though as Blake reveals, a large number of his drawings were rejected before the giant found his now-iconic shape).

This is the first documentary to be dedicated to Quentin, and features contributions from some of his closest collaborators and biggest admirers - among them David Walliams, Michael Rosen, Lauren Child and Chris Riddell - alongside readings of works Blake has illustrated, performed by Joanna Lumley, Peter Capaldi and Ore Oduba.

It will air later this year on BBC Two and iPlayer.