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TWO WEEKS AGO, BBC radio presenter Mark Kermode shared his thoughts on the new Peter Rabbit movie.

If you haven’t seen the movie, it’s basically the old Beatrix Potter classic if it had been given blue Smarties and a can of Coke before bedtime and Supernanny wouldn’t answer the phone to you.

Peter Rabbit is no longer the mischievous and lovable little cartoon rabbit we all know and love.

Instead, in the 2018 movie, he’s more like that person who goes to a party and steals cans from the host’s fridge and pisses all over the bathroom floor.

Mark Kermode noted that the new adaptation of Peter Rabbit has zero respect for the legacy of the original story, unlike Domhnall Gleeson’s 2017 movie Goodbye Christopher Robin.

Why would you even call it Peter Rabbit? Why would you do that? Why don’t you just say “What we’re doing is making a rather crass, Looney Tunes, live-action CG-hybrid, let’s just start from scratch. Let’s not even pretend that we’re taking some much loved source and turning it into something that’s new and original.”

Kermode really didn’t hold back. He said that this production has destroyed everything that was charming about the original source material, and came off “like a children’s party where the adults have decided to join in and spoil everything by playing too loudly.”

Much of the criticism was aimed James Corden, whose voice was described as totally unsuitable for the role and “appallingly irritating”.

Alberto E. Rodriguez Alberto E. Rodriguez

James Corden’s dad Malcolm happened to hear the broadcast, and he wasn’t pleased. Mark Kermode’s co-host Simon Mayo read the letter out on air:

My wife and I firmly believe in free speech. We hope our country will continue to retain the status quo. However, to hear you describe our son as “appallingly irritating” was very difficult to listen to. I’m sure you’ll agree, that as parents we’re the only ones who have permission to describe our own offspring as “appallingly irritating.”

Malcolm Corden then said he “sincerely hopes” that Mark Kermode never has to hear someone speak about their son in that manner.

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Malcolm ended the letter by commending Kermode and Mayo for their skills as radio hosts and said that, when they’re not negatively reviewing James Corden, their show is lovely to listen to on a Friday evening.

Samir Hussein Samir Hussein

Once the letter was read, Mark Kermode just said:

Well, I don’t know what to add to that except that I believe my parents have heard me being called much worse things than “appallingly irritating.”

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