Simpsons gears up for 20th anniversary

The Simpsons celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, although the champagne will be on ice until the 400th episode is aired in the spring.

Since first appearing on the Tracey Ullman Show in the US in 1987, The Simpsons has become a global hit, being shown in 60 countries worldwide and scooping numerous awards over the years.

The show is famous for its dysfunctional family members Homer, Bart, Lisa, Marge and Maggie, as well as the cast of supporting characters and famous cameos.

And the celebrations for this milestone are set to begin in May and continue through the summer with the release of the first feature-length Simpsons movie - a film which took some four years to finish.

"The movie had to stand on its own," writer and executive producer Al Jean told the Daily Mail.

"It needed a storyline that was emotionally connected, not just 80 minutes of jokes - although it will be 80 minutes of jokes."

Several celebrity guests are rumoured to be appearing in the movie, although some names already making it into Simpsons episodes include Tony Blair, JK Rowling, Michael Jackson and Sir Paul McCartney.

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