Gromit’s Voice Has Finally Been Revealed, and Fans Didn’t See This Coming

For almost four decades, Gromit has said everything without saying a single word. Since the ‘Wallace & Gromit’ adventures began in 1989, the clay dog has battled Were-Rabbits and a dastardly penguin while letting his expressive face and body language do all the talking.

That silence was a deliberate choice. Creator Nick Park originally considered giving Gromit a voice inspired by Peter Hawkins, but dropped the idea once he realized how much the character could express through small movements. Meanwhile, Wallace has had a voice all along, with Ben Whitehead taking over the role from Peter Sallis after the latter retired.

Now, the famously mute pooch is finally getting a voice. Martin Freeman will narrate the audiobook edition of ‘Grand: The Autobiography of Gromit, as Told to Nick Park’, a book in which Gromit is said to finally break his silence.

The teaser opens with Gromit’s cheeky introduction, “Yes, I’m a dog,” splashed across a wall of framed portraits of familiar faces from the franchise. Recording took place earlier this month at Penguin Studios.

Park explained the tricky casting challenge in a statement to Variety, asking, “Who could possibly be the voice of a character everyone feels they know, but nobody’s actually heard?” The 4-time Oscar winner has 3 of his trophies for ‘Wallace & Gromit’ projects, so he understands better than anyone how sacred Gromit’s silence is.

Fans worried about Gromit suddenly chatting away on screen can relax. Park clarified that Freeman isn’t performing a Gromit voice as such, but is instead reading the dog’s story as Gromit himself put it, capturing his inner thoughts and dry wit.

Gromit’s voice has been revealed. https://t.co/50MRQiWnC3

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) October 9, 2026

The creator also explained that Freeman’s narration won’t impact future films. That distinction suggests a warm, understated reading rather than a comic character voice, which fits a hero known for his deadpan reactions.

The ‘Sherlock’ actor seems a natural fit for the job. His knack for wry, understated humor lines up neatly with a dog whose eye-rolls have spoken volumes for years. The book was first announced by Aardman and Ebury in June, with Park promising that Gromit had decided to share his innermost thoughts and feelings.

In the Aardman announcement, Park teased that the book would be “a deep dish of doggy nuggets and wisdom to chew on.” Readers will learn what it’s like to wear the Techno Trousers, how Gromit really feels about gnomes, and what the moon tastes like. The memoir also offers a fresh perspective on the duo’s classic adventures, plus a brand-new escapade.

The excerpt already captures his voice perfectly. Gromit notes that this was supposed to be Wallace’s story, but the inventor is still busy building the machine he planned to write it with, which comes complete with wheels and a flamethrower despite a household ban on such inventions.

Wallace is in trouble. Who could possibly be behind all this?! Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl premieres January 3. https://t.co/ON4zlLX7gw

— Netflix (@netflix) October 16, 2024

The hardback runs 224 pages and is published by Ebury, with the book and audiobook arriving in the UK on October 22. A US digital audiobook from Penguin Audio is listed for October 27.

Before that, Park will host a special pre-publication evening at Barbican Hall on October 14, hosted by Edith Bowman. Attendees will get their paws on the book a full week before anyone else in the world.

The timing feels fitting after Gromit’s most recent on-screen triumph, in which he outwitted Feathers McGraw and his army of evil robot garden gnomes. After all that heroism, the long-suffering pup has more than earned the chance to tell his side of the story.

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