The actor Brian Blessed is to voice the Nekross King in the forthcoming CBBC drama Wizards Vs Aliens, it was announced today.

In the 12-episode show, the Nekross are a race of aliens who feed on magic, travelling from planet to planet draining every drop of it. On Earth, 16-year-old Tom Clarke - who seems an ordinary boy but is actually a wizard - and his friend Benny Sherwood are determined to thwart them.

The new action adventure series, created by Russell T Davies and Phil Ford, launches on the channel this autumn on a date yet to be confirmed, although a preview of the first two episodes is to be held at the BFI on 5th October.

Blessed said:
Clarke is played by Scott Haran and Sherwood by Percelle Ascott. Three new promotional pictures featuring the duo were also released today by the BBC, as seen above and here:


Wizards Vs Aliens is produced by BBC Cymru Wales in association with FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) and was filmed at the BBC's Roath Lock Studios in Cardiff. The show is executive-produced by Davies, Bethan Jones, and Sue Nott for the BBC and Bob Higgins and Sander Schwartz for FME. The producer is Brian Minchin and the co-producer is Ford.

A preview screening of two episodes from the forthcoming new CBBC series Wizards Vs Aliens is to be held in London.

The family TV show was created by Russell T Davies and Phil Ford as a successor to The Sarah Jane Adventures, following the untimely death last year of Elisabeth Sladen. The show's premise sees aliens called the Nekross intent on devouring all magic on Earth, with one 16-year-old boy - Tom Clarke, played by Scott Haran - standing in their way. Tom seems ordinary but is, in fact, a wizard, and he is helped by his friend Benny Sherwood, played by Percelle Ascott.

Guest stars in the 12-part series include Annette Badland, Michael Higgs, Jefferson Hall, Gwendoline Christie, and Ruthie Henshall, with Don Gilet and Nina Sosanya making guest appearances as Benny's parents.

Writers for the series include Clayton Hickman, Joseph Lidster, and Gareth Roberts, and last month Ford tweeted: The preview takes place at the BFI Southbank on Friday 5th October at 6.15pm and will also feature a question-and-answer session with special guests including Ford.

There is currently no direct link via which to buy tickets. However, as well as the usual post, phone, and in-person methods, tickets can also be bought by going to the BFI website, then clicking on the "What's on at BFI" button at the top of the home page, hovering your mouse over the "Events" tab, and selecting the "Previews and in-conversations" option.

Filming on CBBC's new drama series Wizards Vs Aliens has started at the BBC's Roath Lock Studios in Cardiff and around the area.

Created by Russell T Davies and Phil Ford, it stars Scott Haran as Tom Clarke and Percelle Ascott as Benny Sherwood, pictured right, who join forces to fight the alien Nekross race.

The series of 12 half-hour episodes, which combine magic and sci-fi, will air on CBBC in the autumn and will also feature Annette Badland, Michael Higgs, Jefferson Hall, and Gwendoline Christie. Don Gilet and Nina Sosanya make guest appearances as Benny's parents.
The show underwent a change of name before filming. During an interview on 20th March by BBC Radio Wales's Roy Noble, Davies said somewhat disparagingly: It fills a gap in children's TV left by the end of The Sarah Jane Adventures and is produced by BBC Cymru Wales in association with FremantleMedia Enterprises. The executive producers are Russell T Davies, Bethan Jones, and Gina Cronk for the BBC, and Bob Higgins and Sander Schwartz for FremantleMedia Enterprises. The producer is Brian Minchin and co-producer Phil Ford.