Published 19th February 2026

Aardman launches epic Clay Offs to crown fans' favourite character

To mark our milestone 50th anniversary, Aardman is handing the power over to our fans with the launch of The Clay Offs, an epic social media tournament that will see 50 of the studio’s most beloved characters battle it out for the title of Ultimate Aardman Champion.

Running exclusively on Aardman’s official social media channels on Instagram, Facebook and X from Monday 23rd February, The Clay Offs will pit fan favourite characters against one another across a season of daily polls.

From Shaun the Sheep to Feathers McGraw, the power to decide who rises through the ranks is entirely in the hands of the audience.

How it works: each weekday, followers will be able to vote in a poll determining the winner of that day’s character showdown. With seven rounds of matches planned, weekly standings will shift dynamically based on fan decisions. At the end of the tournament, Aardman will share the final standings and reveal who has won the title of Ultimate Aardman Champion.

Kenny England, Director of Digital, Social and Communities at Aardman said: “I’m excited to see the fans get behind their favourite characters and find out who will rise to the top of the table as the year goes on. We have so many incredible characters from across the decades at Aardman, what better way to find out who the favourites are than from the fans themselves.”

The Clay Offs are a celebration of 50 years of iconic Aardman character, craft and storytelling. Fans can expect appearances from classic favourites like Wallace and Gromit, Morph and Shaun the Sheep, alongside newer stars such as Molly from Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget and Norbot from Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.

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