NBC sets "Muppets Christmas"

By Nellie Andreeva

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - NBC is getting into the holiday spirit with "Letters to Santa -- A Muppets Christmas."

Whoopi Goldberg, "The Sopranos" alumni Tony Sirico and Steve Schirripa, "Harry Potter" regular Richard Griffiths and Madison Pettis are set to star in the special alongside Kermit, Fozzie, Gonzo, Miss Piggy and the rest of the muppets gang.

"Letters" is set on Christmas Eve when Kermit and company mistakenly avert three letters en route to Santa Claus, which triggers a race against time to bring a happy Christmas to the kids whose wishes were lost in the mail.

The special will feature songs by "The Muppet Movie" songwriter Paul Williams.

It follows last year's ABC special "Elmo's Christmas Countdown," which starred the Muppets' "Sesame Street" cousins as well as Sirico, Schirripa, Ben Stiller and Alicia Keys.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter