Author Rachel’s hairy little monster is now a BBC star

But author and illustrator Rachel Bright hopes her cute creation will show us all that it's ok to make mistakes.

Her hugely successful Love Monster books have inspired a new CBeebies animated television series featuring the voice talents of Tamsin Greig, George Takei and Sarah Hadland.

And she hopes viewers of all ages will fall in love with her hairy hero as he searches for the right thing to do in a world in which he is one of a kind.

"Love Monster is loveable, fallible, interesting and interested in everything. He's excited about life but he doesn't know how to go about it.

"He's a metaphor for us all whether we're two or 102, we're learning as we go along.

"He normally makes a few mistakes along the way. He's love, kindness and empathy all in a googly-eyed package," says the 42-year-old, who grew up in Edgmond near Newport.

She had only written a handful of books when the idea for Love Monster came suddenly during the early hours of the morning, just two days after moving to Dorset to start a new life with her partner Robbie.

"It's almost like he was asking to be written," says Rachel. "Love Monster is quite unique. It's the only story that has arrived formed in my head, rather annoyingly at 5am in the morning.

"I had to run downstairs, get a pencil and sketch it out. By the time the sun came out, there he was," she explains.

Rather unusually, her original idea changed very little during its journey to becoming a picture book, published in 2012.

"Those first thumbnail sketches on a scrap of paper I hastily grabbed, stayed true, almost to the exact layout and pacing, as the finished first book.

"I had always wanted to write about the idea that when you set out boldly into the world to look for something, that providence moves with you. It’s a big idea for the small format of a picture book, but that’s why I love the medium, it forces every word to earn its place on the page.

"Ultimately these books are all about big ideas in life – the ones that connect us all. There is a Love Monster inside all of us who is learning as we’re going along in life, and when we understand some of the big picture, life makes a lot more sense," says Rachel.

She knew Love Monster had struck a chord when she started receiving all manner of letters about him and he has been used for proposals and ceremonial readings, tattoos and even wedding shoes.

Her books have now sold over a million copies and have been translated into 38 languages.

And if that wasn't enough to keep her busy Rachel, who has two daughters, five-year-old River and two-year-old Sky, , also runs stationary and gift company the brightside.

The graduate of Kingston University says her love of art and design go back to her days studying at New College Telford and the country still feels like home.

"I always had this love of art and writing but I didn't know how to turn it into a career. Shropshire was the place where I made my first steps to do it.

My teacher there [New College], I wish I could remember his name, was such as inspiration to me. Art was my passion and New College was the place where that was able to blossom," says Rachel.

She has been involved in every step of the creative process to turn her beloved picture book into an animated series and 54 episodes of Love Monster have been made.

"In many ways Love Monster feels like part of me so being given the opportunity to stay so close to the production has been completely wonderful," says Rachel.

One of the highlights has been seeing her much-loved title character come alive thanks to the talented vocals of actor Darren Foreman who she says has 'nailed' the voice of Love Monster.

"Love Monster was the hardest to cast. They were at it for a long time. They asked me what his voice is like and I found that impossible to answer.

"Darren's five year old lad picked the voice. He tried eight or nine voices and but he kept saying, ‘that’s not cute’ but then he tried the one that would be Love Monster's and he said 'that's cute'.

"It's perfect. It's nice to hear him speak. I've nurtured him for so long and now he's flown the nest."

She has also penned two episodes and Rachel is beyond delighted with how it's all turned out.

"It's literally everything I could have hoped for and more. I couldn't be happier with the finished series."

"Someone once said to me having a book published is like winning the lottery, having it be successful is like winning the lottery twice. Seeing him come to life on the screen is like the lottery hat-trick for a creative like me," says Rachel.

George Takei, best known for playing Hikaru Sulu in the television series Star Trek, is the voice of Elder Panda and has praised the concept.

"Love Monster celebrates inclusive behaviour and collaboration and that’s also very much my philosophy – we find strength, in alliances, joy and vitality in diversity coming together," he says.

The first episode of Love Monster, aimed at preschoolers, will air on CBeebies at 4pm today.