Singer Robbie Williams will sing the theme song for a new half-hour film based on the beloved children's book The Tiger Who Came To Tea to be screened on Channel 4 this Christmas.

The song, written by James Bond score writer David Arnold with lyrics by Don Black, who writes with Andrew Lloyd Webber and also for the Bond films, is called Hey Tiger!

The Tiger Came To Tea was written by Judith Kerr, who recently died at the age of 95, was first published in 1968 and remains as popular today with over five million copies sold. 

The former Take That singer joined the project as he claims to have read the book 150 times to his daughter Teddy, who is seven.

He said: "This book has played a big part in me bonding with my kids. I've read it possibly 150 times to my first daughter, Teddy, and she is the reason I'm singing the song - I'm honouring those moments with her.

"She loved the book and I got a real heart-warming kick reading a line and her finishing it, so it will be forever in my heart.

"Plus I'm a massive fan of Don Black and it's an honour to be singing the words he's written.

"The song reflects the tiger's wonderful, magical and mischievous character - it's whimsical and just what a song should be in this film."

The half-hour film is being animated by the team behind The Snowman and seven-year-old Clara Ross will play Sophie and will be joined by Benedict Cumberbatch, David Oyelowo and David Walliams.