Full Monty actor Hugo Speer is set to take a starring role in a drama series for BBC One.

Speer, who is best remembered for his upfront role as Guy - one of the Full Monty's six male strippers - will play a butcher in his latest show.

Taking his side, as the drama's love interest, will be former Ballykissangel actress Dervla Kirwan.

While the rest of the cast includes former Home and Away star Isla Fisher and Amanda Holden from ITV's The Grimleys.

Series producer Sally Haynes said: "We hope that the chemistry between the characters and our wonderful cast will lead to some of the funniest, saddest and most powerful stories we've seen on our screens for some time."

Filming for the series has already begun under the working title Hearts and Bones. Screening is scheduled for later this year.

The show's storyline revolves around the relationship between a group of friends who grew up together in Coventry.

Things start to go wrong when Emma, played by Kirwan, agrees to marry her long-term partner Mark, played by Damian Lewis, despite being convinced that she is in love with his brother Rich, played by Speer.

Since appearing in the box office hit The Full Monty in 1998, Speer has starred in the film Swing, alongside singer Lisa Stansfield.

He played the optimistic Martin who learns the saxophone while serving a jail sentence.

Once released, Martin and friends form a swing band as he tries to win back his girlfriend Joan, played by Lisa Stansfield, who married the police officer who arrested him.

Speer's past TV appearances have included parts in the police dramas Heartbeat and The Bill, as well as the BBC comedy Men Behaving Badly.

Kirwan became a household name following her starring roles in Ballykissangel and Goodnight Sweartheart.