From hacked ‘smart gnomes’ to the revenge of Feathers McGraw: inside Wallace & Gromit’s joyous return

‘The smart gnome was really just an excuse to have Wallace say “AI lad”,’ … Wallace & Gromit in Vengeance Most Fowl. Photograph: Richard Davies/Courtesy of Netflix

I have eyes just like Gromit’s. They’re in the palm of my hand.

For the last hour, I’ve been trying to create a replica of the Wrong Trousers star’s head as part of a behind-the-scenes tour of his creators’ studio – Bristol’s Aardman. I’ve rolled white clay into tiny spheres, pressed a miniscule blob of black into them so that a quizzical little eyeball stares back at me. Now, all I need to do is stick them on to the face I’ve sculpted (with the expert help of Aardman modeller Will Harding). I take hold of the miniature ball between my finger and thumb and … promptly drop it on the floor.