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Award-winning CBBC today announces it has commissioned another original new family drama, The Lost Christmas, for broadcast 2011/2012 on BBC One.

The Lost Christmas stars BAFTA, Olivier and two-time Emmy award-winner Eddie Izzard as Anthony, a mysterious man who appears on Manchester's snowy streets at Christmas Eve with a remarkable gift: the ability to find the lost.

The Lost Christmas will be written and directed by Emmy, BAFTA and Berlin Bear award-winner John Hay.

Commissioned by Jay Hunt for BBC One and Anne Gilchrist for CBBC, the special 90-minute film, which also stars Jason Flemyng will be made and set in Manchester.

The drama follows hot on the heels of CBBC's other recent original family drama commissions – Ingenious by Jeanette Winterson starring Una Stubbs, and a Simon Nye adaptation of children's classic Just William.

Richard Deverell, Controller, BBC Children's, said: "I'm delighted to announce another original British drama made by CBBC.

"The Lost Christmas promises to be a magical and feel-good family film, but which is built around the ordinary hardships and hurdles many families face."

Jason Flemyng said: "The story came off the page for me, somehow uplifting and very poignant at the same time. It just reminded me of all those Christmas films I used to sit down in front of a fire and watch as a kid."

The Lost Christmas is set in Manchester as snow falls and everyone is getting ready for Christmas.

Everyone, that is, except Anthony (Eddie Izzard), a strange, enigmatic being who wakes up in the middle of the street, not knowing where he is or what he's here to do. But Anthony has a remarkable ability: the power to find the lost.

Over the course of one magical Christmas Eve, Anthony transforms the lives of five ordinary people, people whose lives have been shattered by decisions of their past, decisions they have come to regret.

But is Anthony's ability to heal real, or just an illusion?

Written by John Hay and Dave Logan, the film is being made for CBBC by Impact Film & Television, directed by John Hay and the executive producer is Connal Orton. The CBBC executive producer is Sue Nott.

Notes to Editors

CBBC won the Children's Channel of the Year Award at the Children's BAFTAs in November 2008 and was named Children's Channel of the Year at the Broadcast Digital Awards in June 2009.

Figures show that CBBC is one of the most-loved channels for children, and it reaches more six to 12 year olds than any other children's channel in the UK. Almost a third of all six to 12 year olds in digital homes in the UK tune into CBBC on a weekly basis.

TD