Simpsons writer to create new animated comedy for CBBC

CBBC's Strange Hill High will follow three intrepid Year 7s at an "all-but-forgotten inner-city school filled with fantastical secrets and outlandish mysteries".

The 13-part animation will follow the trio as they investigate the strange goings on at their school, coming face to face with the likes of the evil Tooth Fairy. The IT Crowd's Richard Ayoade will voice Templeton, the class nerd, and This Is Jinsy's Emma Kennedy will play the part of Becky Butters. Street-smart Mitchell Tanner will be voiced by Doc Brown.

The series may be in the hands of a Simpsons alumnus, but don't expect the characters to resemble Bart, Lisa and co. The Strange Hill High students will be fashioned using hypervynorama (yes, that's a word), a new animation technique using a mix of stop-motion puppetry and CGI.

Weinstein has said of the new animation: "I've worked in animation my whole life and I've never seen a show as groundbreaking as Strange Hill High. And when the ground breaks at Strange Hill, you never know what will come out."

The show will also star The Royle Family's Caroline Aherne and Cold Feet's John Thomson.

Strange Hill High will air on CBBC later this year.