We have some very exciting news to share.

The voice guiding children through Teach Your Monster to Read will be none other than actor, comedian and musician Julian Barratt! You may know him as Howard Moon from The Mighty Boosh, as the washed-up, wonderfully vain TV detective in Mindhorn, or from a long list of other roles that have made us laugh (and occasionally squirm) over the years.

Why Julian?

Learning to read is a big adventure, and every adventure needs a good guide. We wanted someone warm, with a sense of mischief, and a versatile voice that suits all our wonderful in-game monsters! Julian has all of that and more.

From the earnest, jazz-loving Howard Moon to Hoofius, the dramatic, panpipe-loving faun in CBBC’s Super Happy Magic Forest, Julian has built a career on creating people you can’t help but love, even when they’re being ridiculous. A narrator who can bring that kind of personality to a monster-filled game? Perfect.

He’s also brilliantly versatile. Julian has moved between sketch comedy, sitcoms, film, and has become the voice of many a cute cartoon character with ease. That range matters when you’re narrating a game. 

Best of all, he knows how to be funny without trying too hard. Great comedy for children is playful and a little bit silly, and never talks down to its audience. Julian’s style has always had a gentle, absurd charm that we think children (and the grown-ups reading alongside them) will adore. As a talented musician, he also brings a natural sense of rhythm and timing, which are at the heart of early reading.

What to expect

Children will hear Julian’s voice guiding them through the game, cheering on their progress, and bringing a little extra monster magic to every challenge. 

Teach Your Monster to Read with Julian Barratt as narrator will be available in a future update. It will be arriving on different platforms at different times, so keep an eye on our emails, and prepare your monsters for a very special new voice…

With thanks to QVoice Ltd and Bison Studio