Timothy Spall has spoken of his relief at not having to don a skin-tight suit covered in ping pong balls to play a dog in Alice In Wonderland: Through The Looking Glass.

The Mr Turner star voices Bayard the bloodhound in Disney’s follow-up to Tim Burton’s big screen adaptation of Alice In Wonderland, starring Mia Wasikowska and Johnny Depp.

Timothy, 57, revealed: “I just did the voice, I didn’t have to stand around in a suit covered in ping pong balls. I’m alright thank you, because it’s a doddle you see.

Timothy Spall
(Yui Mok/PA)

“A man of my years rolling around in a jumpsuit pretending to be a bloodhound, would have been eccentric to say the least, and embarrassing to say the worst. I leave that to the genius of the animators.”

The British actor learned to paint to play artist JW Turner in Mike Leigh’s new film Mr Turner.

Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp stars alongside Timothy (Briquet-Douliery/ABACA USA/Empics Entertainment)

And while he hasn’t kept up the painting, Timothy revealed his new artistic skills still come in handy.

He said: “I do a little bit of doodling. I draw my wife birthday cards and Valentine’s cards. I drew her one the other day, it was her birthday.”