Harry Sparkes, 13, Lands Voice of Thomas the Tank Engine — SkimNews
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- Harry Sparkes, 13, from Harpenden, Hertfordshire, debuts as the voice of Thomas in the new animated series "Thomas & Friends: Railway Stories," a character first introduced in Reverend Wilbert Awdry's 1945 book The Railway Series
- Henry Golding narrates the series in the role made famous by Sir Ringo Starr, and said he stood in the "shadow of giants" — also following Pierce Brosnan, who narrated the 2008 special "Thomas & Friends: The Great Discovery"
- Sparkes secretly attended weekly recording sessions for nine months, telling classmates he was doing physiotherapy for a foot injury so they wouldn't find out he was voicing Thomas
- Mattel, the franchise owner, teased the new series will "introduce fans to a refreshed world of Sodor" while still celebrating the railway action fans "have known and loved" since 1945
- The series launches on YouTube with a special episode later the day of publication (24 June), will air on Channel 5's Milkshake! in October, and debuts as a full series in early 2027
Why it matters: Sparkes, at 13, takes over a character that has run since 1945, putting Mattel's franchise refresh in the voice of a child actor instead of a Hollywood veteran. The nine-month secrecy disguised as physiotherapy — rather than a press rollout — signals the studio wants to frame the casting as authentic kid energy rather than a celebrity stunt.
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