CBeebies viewers in meltdown as Tom Hardy makes final return with Woody

Parents’ favourite TV story reader Tom Hardy has made an emotional return to CBeebies in a final appearance with his beloved dog, Woody.

Hollywood star Hardy was back on Saturday night to read the Bedtime Story, making his final appearance on camera with his late pet, who died in June aged six.

The Taboo actor read Helen Stephens’ story Fleabag, about a boy’s relationship with his scruffy pet, in an episode broadcast on International Dog Day.

One viewer tweeted: “Mums around the country scrambling for the record button”, as the popular star of Mad Max: Fury Road and The Dark Knight Rises made his latest appearance with his pet.

Another parent commented: “Time stood still in our house.”

One dad weighed in with the admission that his child was too old for the Bedtime Story, but they had still tuned in.

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He tweeted: “My son hasn’t watched the CBeebies bedtime story in 2 years, wife hears Tom Hardy’s reading and suddenly we’re watching it again.”

However, this Bedtime Story was a poignant one as Woody has since passed away, so it is the last time viewers will see Hardy with the dog.

One tweeted: “Saddened by the fact that it was Tom Hardy’s dog in the @CBeebiesHQ story and the dog has since passed away. Such a beautiful dog.”

Another added: “Totally crestfallen after that final CBeebies Bedtime story with Tom Hardy and Woody.”

Viewers were as happy to see Hardy as ever, with one labelling him “worth the licence fee alone”, and another pleading with CBeebies to “just give the man the job full time”.

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One mum tweeted about her toddler: “get out of the bloody way child”, while another viewer wrote: “visiting family with young kids has its benefits”.