Comic Peter Kay to star in musical

Comedian Peter Kay is joining the cast of the smash hit Mel Brooks musical The Producers.

The 33-year-old star has been a fan of the 1968 film, which forms the basis of the stage show, since his childhood.

He even dreamt of devising his own stage version before the film's writer, Brooks, decided to do it himself five years ago.

Kay will play Roger DeBris, the camp director who is hired by producer Max Bialystock and accountant Leo Bloom to put on the worst musical in Broadway history, Springtime For Hitler.

The Bolton comic was offered the role in the touring version of the show in Manchester after he mentioned his wish to appear in the musical in his autobiography, The Sound Of Laughter.

Kay tells Michael Parkinson in tomorrow's show: "I'm doing Mel Brooks's The Producers, which has always been my favourite film.

"My big ambition all my life was to turn it into a musical - I even got a geography exercise book and started writing it and then I got the soundtrack and ordered it at Bolton library and I got the video. I got everything, I loved it to bits."

"I'm playing Roger DeBris who is the gay director, which is just fantastic, I can't wait. "I'm doing it in Manchester and it's brilliant because I can see the theatre from the roof of my house, so I can be there in 20 minutes."

"I'm doing it every night. I'm doing three months in it. It's just a dream come true and to do it so close to home, it's just brilliant, it's a great opportunity I think they go on tomorrow morning, ideal Christmas gift."

Kay also told the ITV1 chat show that he had no plans to take his act to the US, despite being urged to do so by his Scottish comedy idol Billy Connolly.

He said: "I've never been keen on America - the only thing I like about it is when I'm over there I feel practically bulimic."

"Honestly, you think I'm fat, it's like It's A Knockout over there."

Take That appear on the Parkinson show after Bond star Daniel Craig pulled out when he caught a virus on a flight from New York.

Gary Barlow said of his former Take That band member Robbie Williams: "When we see things about him in papers I think we are all genuinely all worried about him from time to time and happy for him at other times."

Parkinson also confirmed that he is set to appear in Australian soap Neighbours - playing himself - after recording the scene in Britain.

He said: "They know me in Australia."

•Parkinson will be shown at 10.30pm on ITV1 tomorrow.