Postman Pat turned into a 3D film

The most famous large nose in Britain will be coming right at you following the announcement that a 3D film version of Postman Pat starts production this month

Britain's best-loved postman will be voiced by Stephen Mangan in an animated movie that will be in cinemas in spring 2013.

Mangan is part of an all-star cast to voice the characters of Postman Pat: The Movie - You Know You're the One, alongside Harry Potter star Rupert Grint, former Doctor Who David Tennant and Oscar winner Jim Broadbent. Mangan said: "I'm absolutely thrilled to be playing the world's best-known postman in his big screen debut - he's an iconic British hero and it's a great script. However when I excitedly told my three-year-old son that I was going to be Postman Pat, he said, 'No you're not, dad, don't be silly'."

Londoner Mangan is best known for his roles as Guy Secretan in the television series Green Wing, Dan Moody in I'm Alan Partridge and as Holistic Detective Dirk Gently in the 2010 BBC adaptation of Douglas Adams' book Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency.

Pat, who was created by children's author John Cunliffe, first appeared on television in 1981 and since then millions of books and DVDs have been sold around the series. The film will show Pat tempted away from his hometown of Greendale and his celebrated black and white cat Jess to enter a television talent show.

Broadbent said: “I’m delighted and very excited to be involved with such an iconic figure as Postman Pat.”

Rupert Grint added, “I used to watch Postman Pat when I was a small boy. My brother and sisters all did at some stage. Postman Pat is one of those British symbols, I suppose - you are totally familiar with him and his cat, Jess even if you have never watched the series. How exciting to be part of the Postman Pat heritage.”

The film will be directed by Mike Disa from a screenplay co-written by the award-winning Kim Fuller (Spice World) and Annika Bluhm, the long-time Producer of the Postman Pat television series.