Comic Skinner tries second sitcom

Comedian Frank Skinner is to star as a cabbie in his own ITV1 sitcom.

The Black Country-born comic, one of the highest paid stars on TV, will play a wise-cracking driver in the sitcom titled Shane.

The series is expected to be aired as part of the network's autumn line-up.

Skinner is currently writing the show and will begin production after finishing work on a new series of his chat show.

ITV chiefs said Skinner's character is "swiftly becoming a disappointment to his wife, an embarrassment to his teenage kids and a liability to his employers".

The star previously tried his hand at acting in a Channel 4 comedy, which he also wrote, called Blue Heaven a decade ago.

Jon Thoday, managing director of programme maker Avalon Television, said: "It's good to see ITV continuing to back new comedy."