Ed Sheeran writes song ‘Under The Tree’ for Netflix animated film ‘That Christmas’ based in Suffolk

Pop superstar Ed Sheeran has written a Christmas song for an upcoming animated film based in Suffolk.

The Framlingham singer’s track, ‘Under The Tree’, will be featured in ‘That Christmas’ which is coming to Netflix on Friday, December 6.

The film has been co-written by Richard Curtis, who directed Love Actually, Notting Hill and Four Weddings and a Funeral, and it is based on Mr Curtis’ trilogy of children’s books published in 2020.

“It was just sketches and voices, but it blew me away,” Mr Sheeran said to Tudum, an official Netflix news site. “So emotional, yet so heart warmingly funny, like all Richard Curtis movies.

“I find since having kids, there’s a real lack of great animated children’s Christmas movies, so I thought this was such an amazing thing to make and put into the world.

“The scene that we wrote this song for is so heart-breaking, but so real for many people at Christmas — spending it without the ones they love, for so many reasons.

“I got to work with my older brother on this, which is such a rarity and a gift to work so closely with my only sibling. It felt so good to create something my children would watch, with their uncle, based in the country they live in.

“This is going to become a holiday staple, at least in our household. Hope everyone loves it and enjoys the song — we had such a great time creating it.”

The movie is being produced by Locksmith Animation and will be directed by Simon Otto who previously worked on the ‘How To Train Your Dragon’ films.

It is Mr Curtis’ first animated feature and will follow a series of tales about family, friends, love and loneliness and will star voice actors including Brian Cox, Fiona Shaw and Jodie Whittaker.

He said: “I hope it’ll remind people of the joy and complexity of Christmas, and some of the joys and comedy and heartbreak of childhood.

“And then there’s a very special thing for me, that the film takes place in a town very much like my own in Suffolk.

“I hope they’ll love the sense of the place — and go away with a new, delightful, simple English world in their heads.”