New TV Snowman wins approval of his creator Raymond Briggs

Author and illustrator Raymond Briggs, who created the classic children’s book The Snowman, has dismissed the use of computer-generated imagery (CGI) in films as “too perfect”.

The animated cartoon version has been screened on Channel 4 every year since 1982 and a £2 million, 24-minute sequel, The Snowman And The Snowdog, is being broadcast at Christmas this year.

Briggs, 78, said that he endorsed the follow-up, partly because it was hand-drawn.

“It would have been cashing in to do it before. Now it won’t do any harm, and it’s not vulgar and American,” he said.

“I’ve never touched a computer, or anything like that. CGI makes everything too perfect, but they’re sticking to the old ways. I’m a notorious grumbler, but I found nothing to grumble about.”

Briggs admitted he does not read many children’s books and is “not a fan of Christmas”, despite the animated version of his famous book featuring a visit to Father Christmas at the North Pole.

“You can’t keep up with the damned things,” he said of children’s books.

“I’ve never read Enid Blyton. I went once to Roald Dahl’s birthday party so must have read something of his. He was fairly curmudgeonly.”

He added: “Huge amounts of money have been generated by The Snowman. I’m not interested. I read it’s sold three million copies, but publishers bandy about numbers that aren’t usually true.

“I don’t spend anything. I don’t like going abroad – the Gatwick airport hell-hole.”