Tales of the bunexpected
DAWN French plays Beatrix Potter in a heart- warming feature- length special tonight.
It follows a young Roald Dahl who goes on an adventure to meet the classic children’s author of works including The Tale Of Peter Rabbit.
But are you potty for Potter? Find out with NADINE LINGE’S 12 facts about the much- loved writer and illustrator.
Roald & Beatrix: The Tale Of The Curious Mouse airs on Sky One tonight at 8.15pm.
Beatrix Potter was born on July 28, 1866, but was christened Helen after her mother. She became known by her more unusual middle name.
Potter’s most famous book The Tale Of Peter Rabbit was inspired by an illustrated letter she wrote to the sick son of her former governess in 1893. She later borrowed back the letter and copied the pictures and story to create the tale.
The bunny was based on Potter’s own rabbit, who she often took for walks on a lead. She accidentally got a previous rabbit high on hemp seeds, writing in her diary: “When I wanted to draw him the next morning he was intoxicated and wholly unmanageable.”
Potter had an assortment of animals as a child including hedgehogs, frogs and mice. When her brother Bertram went to boarding school, he left a pair of longeared pet bats behind. As they were difficult to care for, she set one free – but killed the
other with chloroform and Potter also used secret stuffed it for her collection. code in a diary she wrote Peter Rabbit was turned between 1881 and 1897. It down by publishers so was so difficult to crack that it often she decided to publish wasn’t translated until 1958. it herself. In 1901, Peter Rabbit was when Potter was 35, made into a 2018 she printed 250 film starring James copies featuring 41 Corden. Potter’s own black and white life was given the silver engravings – and it screen treatment, proved such a hit, with 2006’ s Miss one of the publishers Potter which featured who turned it Renée Zellweger as
FUN: Peter down picked it back the writer and up and by Christmas 1902, she Ewan Mcgregor as love had sold 20,000 copies. interest Norman Warne. Potter penned two or Potter was a disappointment three stories per year, to her writing 28 books in total. They mother, who wanted her include The Tale Of to make a good marriage. Mrs Tiggy Winkle – In 1905 she accepted about a hedgehog Warne’s proposal, but washerwoman and her parents thought he inspired by Potter’s was beneath her. own prickly pet – and Warne died of leukaemia The Tale Of Mr Jeremy a few weeks after the Fisher, about a frog engagement. Potter eventually who goes fishing. married at the age of 47 to The author was solicitor William Heelis. fascinated by Potter died in 1943 nature. She even penned an aged 77, leaving 4,000 academic paper on fungi but acres of land in the Lake could not even attend its District to the National presentation to the scientific Trust. Her books have Linnean Society because now sold more than women were not allowed. 100million copies.
HIT: 1st edition
SNAP: Young Potter