Happy Aardman Christmas 2021 - featuring Shaun the Sheep (The Movie & Llamas!)

Well it's that time of year again! Celebrating ALL THINGS SHAUN that I've been privileged to be a part of with Aardman Animations!!

The CHRISTMAS TRADITION continues ... BOTH 'SHAUN THE SHEEP - THE FARMER'S LLAMAS' and 'SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE' can be seen on our TELLYBOXES this Christmas ...

'SHAUN THE SHEEP - THE FARMER'S LLAMAS' - BBC1 on Christmas Eve at 9.50am

'SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE' - BBC1 on Boxing Day at 10.10am

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

Acting website at www.seanconnolly.co.uk

Voice website at www.seanconnollyvoices.com

Bringing in 2020 with SHAUN THE SHEEP and friends!!

Yet again both the INTERNATIONAL EMMY AWARD winning 'SHAUN THE SHEEP: THE FARMER'S LLAMAS' AND the OSCAR NOMINATED 'SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE' from AARDMAN ANIMATIONS will be aired this festive season ... This time, rather than a Christmas screening, 'FARMER'S LLAMAS' can be seen on NEW YEARS EVE morning at 10.50AM on BBC 1 and the 'MOVIE' can be seen this year on NEW YEARS DAY at 9.30AM also on BBC 1 ... It's become a Christmas tradition to show both SHAUN's on the telly - long may this tradition continue - LOVELY!!!!

Always so proud to have been a part of both animations - if you haven't seen them before (where have you been?!) then you're in for a real treat!

Acting website at www.seanconnolly.co.uk

Voice website at www.seanconnollyvoices.com

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

HAVE A GREAT 2020!!

A SHEEPTASTIC Christmas Eve Morning with an AARDMAN Double Header AGAIN!!

Once again, this CHRISTMAS EVE BOTH the Oscar, Golden Globe and TWICE BAFTA nominated classic 'SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE' AND the INTERNATIONAL EMMY AWARD-WINNING - 'SHAUN THE SHEEP - THE FARMER'S LLAMAS' will be shown on BBC ONE at 10.10am and 11.30am respectively. Still incredibly proud to be a part of the MOVIE and the HALF HOUR SPECIAL.

If you count up all the characters I voiced, there are about ten, with two or three of them (including the Maître D above), whilst not being principle characters are featured throughout the film. Two more fun characters I play in the film are both Hair Stylists who work in the aptly named salon 'Barber Black Sheep'. Other roles I play include a Golfer, an Angry Panto Horse and a host of Hospital Characters ... fantastic fun!!

Those of you who follow my News Blog will know that I play HECTOR THE LLAMA (above) in 'SHAUN THE SHEEP - THE FARMER'S LLAMAS'...

WONDERFUL MEMORIES!!! ENJOY!!!

Aardman's Christmas Double Whammy - UK TV Premiere of 'SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE' & repeat of EMMY AWARD-WINNING 'THE FARMER'S LLAMAS' ...

AARDMAN ANIMATIONS voice actor SEAN CONNOLLY and some of the characters he voiced in 'SHAUN THE SHEEP - THE MOVIE' ...

Shaun is certainly the sheep that keeps on giving! This Christmas 'SHAUN THE SHEEP - THE MOVIE' get it's UK TV PREMIERE - if you haven't yet seen this Oscar, Golden Globe and TWICE BAFTA nominated classic then make sure you tune in to BBC ONE on BOXING DAY at 2.10PM. Still unbelievably proud to be a part of this wonderful film.

As well as the UK TV PREMIERE for 'SHAUN THE SHEEP - THE MOVIE', I'm also over the moon to announce that the INTERNATIONAL EMMY AWARD-WINNING - 'SHAUN THE SHEEP - THE FARMER'S LLAMAS' will also get a couple of SEASONAL REPEATS. Tune in to BBC ONE on CHRISTMAS EVE at 1.45PM and FRIDAY DECEMBER 29th again on BBC ONE at 10.25AM - so no excuses for a spot of LLAMA DRAMA!! I play HECTOR THE LLAMA in this half hour of madness ....

AARDMAN ANIMATIONS voice actor SEAN CONNOLLY plays HECTOR the LLAMA in the award-winning 'SHAUN THE SHEEP - THE FARMER'S LLAMAS' ...

SEAN CONNOLLY with Hector the Llama ...

Happy 40th Birthday to Aardman Animations ...

Aardman Animations voice actor SEAN CONNOLLY celebrates their 40th Birthday with some cherished friends ...

Today sees the 40th Anniversary of Aardman Animations, so I thought it would be fun to reflect on my own personal 16 year history with the Oscar Winning company ...

Well it all started in the new Millennia (2000) when I first worked with Aardman on their Claymation Cult Classic 'REX THE RUNT' when I was lucky to be asked to voice over 30 characters for it's second season ... Here's a little selection of the characters I played ..

Aardman Animations voice actor SEAN CONNOLLY looks back at where it all started with 'REX THE RUNT' in 2000 ...

There was then a 'small' hiatus until I was thrilled to be asked to provide about 10 human characters in the OSCAR-NOMINATED feature film 'SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE' ... Here's most of them!!

Aardman Animations voice actor SEAN CONNOLLY looks back at his involvement in the Oscar-Nominated 'SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE' ...

Then last year I was thrilled to return to AARDMAN to play ONLY ONE CHARACTER, rather than my normal host of characters!! This time it was to be the very first TV CHRISTMAS SPECIAL for 'SHAUN THE SHEEP' called 'THE FARMER'S LLAMAS' where I voiced HEAD LLAMA HECTOR ... It was transmitted on Boxing Day 2015 on BBC 1, quite an honour!!

Aardman Animations voice actor SEAN CONNOLLY remembers last Christmas' 'SHAUN THE SHEEP' special 'THE FARMER'S LLAMAS' ...

Some fantastic memories with AARDMAN over the years, let's hope there's some more, you never know. I've loved every minute of the ride so far!! 

British Animation Awards (BAA) held tonight at London's BFI ...

The rather appropriately named biennial BAA (British Animation Awards) are held tonight at London's BFI on the Southbank.

'SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE' (Dirs: Richard Starzak & Mark Burton - Produced by Aardman Animations for Studio Canal.) is pitched against 'STICK MAN' (Dirs: Jeroen Jaspaert & Daniel Snaddon - Produced by Magic Light Pictures) and 'CHILDREN OF THE HOLOCAUST' (Dir: Zane Whittingham - Produced by Fettle Animation for BBC Learning).

BAA Director, Jayne Pilling says: “It’s 20 years since the British Animation Awards began and this is the first awards ceremony to take place since the industry reaped the benefit of the changes to the tax-break arrangements. With the animation industry in rude health, there has never been a better time to celebrate this wonderful, thriving, creative force and we hope to make this the best awards ceremony yet.”

Let's hope 'Team Shaun' can put away the disappointment from the Oscars, Golden Globes and the BAFTA's and come away with this prestigious award tonight. Previous winners include the likes of Tim Burton, Shaun's creator Nick Park, Simon’s Cat creator Simon Tofield, Harry Potter and the Gorillaz.

Oscar Nomination for 'SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE'!!

Well it's happened ... the BIG ONE! After receiving a Golden Globes nomination, TWO BAFTA nominations and FIVE Annie Award nominations 'SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE' has been given the ultimate seal of approval ... an Academy Award Nomination for Best Animated Feature!

'SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE' missed out at the Golden Globes last Sunday to 'INSIDE OUT' but still has the 'EE BRITISH ACADEMY FILM AWARDS' on February 14th and before that 'THE ANNIE AWARDS' on February 6th and of course not forgetting the Oscars themselves on the February 28th!

Some surprise omissions and inclusions within the nominees but I am so delighted for everyone involved in the film that it's been given the recognition it so richly deserves (I suppose I would say that?!). The Awards Season certainly is in full swing, fingers crossed Team Shaun can win one of the remaining big ones, no illusions ... it's going to be tough!!

BAFTA Film Nomination announced for 'SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE'.

Great news ... 'SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE' has been nominated for a BAFTA in the Best Animated Film category for the years 'EE British Academy Film Awards' to be held on Valentines Day.

The film sits alongside 'MINIONS' and yep you guessed it 'INSIDE OUT'! 

The film also has some stiff competition at the actual Golden Globes awards ceremony this coming Sunday 10th January. Then next Thursday January 14th, we will find out whether it will grab an Oscar nomination..!! 

Phew, I am crossing all my digits, as playwright George Bernard Shaw said 'You Never Can Tell'!!

Golden Globe Nomination for 'SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE' and 5 Annie Award Nominations.

Yesterday lunchtime the nominations for the 73rd Golden Globes were announced from the Beverley Hilton Hotel, Beverley Hills in Los Angeles. After an agonising few minutes wait the news that Aardman's 'SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE' had secured a nomination for a Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature. I'm so proud to be a part of this wonderful film, it certainly deserves all the attention it's getting, of course I would say that!

The nominated animated features this year, include two very diverse stop motion films: 'ANOMALISA' (which looks amazing!) and of course 'SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE', with Disney Pixar's 'INSIDE OUT' and 'THE GOOD DINOSAUR' with 'THE PEANUTS MOVIE' completing the five. So a pretty competitive set of nominees to say the least! We'll find out who comes away with the award on Sunday January 10th 2016, just four days before we find out whether 'SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE' will be rewarded with an Oscar nomination too, all just a wee bit crazy??!!

Still on the awards trail ... 'SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE' has also had some other brilliant news.

The Annie Awards (basically the animation Oscars!) are, quoting from their own website ... 

"The event celebrating individuals for a lifetime or career contributions to the art of animation in producing, directing, animating, design, writing, voice acting, sound and sound effects, technical work, music, professional teaching, and for other endeavours which exhibit outstanding contributions to excellence in animation."

'SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE' has been nominated in FIVE categories:

1.) Best Animated Feature.

2.) Outstanding Achievement in Directing for Richard Starzac and Mark Burton.

3.) Outstanding Achievement in Writing an Animated Feature for Richard Starzac and Mark Burton.

4.) Outstanding Achievement in Production Design for Matt Perry and Gavin Lines.

5.) Outstanding Achievement in Editorial in an Animated Feature for Sim Evan-Jones.

The 43rd Annual Annie Awards will be presented on Saturday February 6th 2016 at UCLA's Royce Hall in Los Angeles.