Olympic gold medallist Tom Daley has helped unveil a giant Shaun the Sheep tapestry at London’s Natural History Museum — and even added his own stitches
The Olympian added his own personal touch to the giant tapestry(Image: PinPep)
Tom Daley has helped unveil a 22-foot-long tapestry inspired by Shaun the Sheep, ahead of the beloved woolly character’s latest big-screen outing. The Olympic gold medallist revealed the specially commissioned ‘Baa-Ewe Tapestry’ at London’s Natural History Museum, where it will be on public display prior to the release of Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom, hitting cinemas on September 18th.
Taking its cue from the world-famous Bayeux Tapestry, the handcrafted masterpiece stretches seven metres in length and retells the story of Shaun’s newest film – featuring Shaun, Bitzer and the residents of Mossy Bottom Farm – through intricate embroidery.
While the original 70-metre Bayeux Tapestry documents the events leading up to the Norman Conquest of 1066, this sheep-themed rendition captures the comedy, chaos and Halloween escapades awaiting audiences in Shaun’s latest cinematic adventure.
The grand reveal comes just one day before the original Bayeux Tapestry is set to open its doors to the public at the British Museum, as part of a landmark loan from France.
Daley, founder of knitting and crochet lifestyle brand Made With Love, even put his own personal stamp on the artwork. The former diver knitted a miniature sweater vest for Shaun, which features in the tapestry’s closing section.
Speaking after adding the last stitch, Daley said: “I’m so thrilled to be involved in this amazing celebration of creativity, and I can’t wait for everyone to see the beautiful tapestry the team has put together.
“I’ve waited years for the opportunity to collaborate with Shaun the Sheep, so when he asked me to design him a bespoke piece of knitwear, I simply had to say yes!”
While the massive textile artwork is just a tenth of the size of its medieval inspiration, it still needed more than 5km of yarn and over 180 hours of labour to complete.
A team of 15 designers and textile experts worked together to produce the detailed piece, which features 10 colours drawn from the original Bayeux Tapestry.
The tapestry will be on display at the Natural History Museum from 9th September until 1st November, allowing visitors to follow Shaun’s latest adventure panel by panel ahead of the film’s cinema release later this month.
The reveal represents the latest celebration in the run-up to Sky Original Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom, the third full-length film from Aardman’s internationally beloved franchise.
Created by Aardman in partnership with Sky and STUDIOCANAL, the film sees the residents of Mossy Bottom Farm preparing for Halloween before a series of increasingly chaotic events unleashes a mysterious beast on the village.
Dan Phelan, from the Natural History Museum, said: “Inspired by our friends at the British Museum opening their Bayeux Tapestry exhibition, we’re delighted to welcome the Baa-Ewe Tapestry to the Natural History Museum.
“Shaun the Sheep has entertained generations of families, and from today fans can enjoy a unique piece of textile art inspired by one of Britain’s best-loved animations.
“We can’t wait to welcome visitors to see the tapestry up close and follow Shaun’s latest adventure ahead of the film’s release.”
