Tom and Jerry set to make a comeback on TV

One of the most popular cartoon series in the world, 'Tom and Jerry', is all set to return after an absence of 46 years and the show will have Hollywood celebs as their supporting cast.

The iconic animated cartoon made Hollywood history when Jerry danced with actor Gene Kelly in the 1945 film 'Anchors Aweigh', the Daily Express reported.

The brand new series will see 'Seinfeld' star Jason Alexander giving his voice to Tom's frustrated owner and Simon Helberg, who plays the role of Howard Wolowitz in the sitcom 'The Big Bang Theory', will play a rat friend of Jerry.

But the cartoon characters of the show, which could hit British TV screens around Christmas, will not be talking, as several ardent fans of the show were upset by the 1992 movie in which they spoke.

Jay Bastian, the vice president of Warner Bros., who is producing the new TV series, said that the idea is to honour the old cartoon, so the core of the new Tom and Jerry will still be a cat and mouse trying to beat the stuffing out of each other.

Bastian added that in the new version, there's a lot of slapping characters in the face with frying pans and all the other harmless antics that made the originals so popular.

Animation pioneers William Hanna and Joseph Barbera created the renowned characters of Tom and Jerry.