Peter Kay to star in Danny Baker's comedy?
According to a report in The Mirror today, Peter Kay will play a key role in new BBC comedy Cradle To Grave.
The comedy drama is based on broadcaster Danny Baker's memoirs of growing up in a council flat in South London in the 1970s.
Today's newspaper report suggests that Kay will take on the role of Baker's wide-boy dad in the 8 part series. The character - Fred - has been described as "a real-life Del Boy".
Speaking earlier this year on Richard Herring's podcast (31 minutes in), Baker told a story about how his Dad had an altercation with Harry Enfield, who was a guest on his chat show.
Not realising Enfield had been swearing at his son in character rather than in a genuine fashion, he pinned the sketch show star against the wall and said "You dare talk to my boy like that!" Baker explains how they still joke about it now: "Every time I see Harry to this day - and he knows my old man's passed on - he goes 'your dad's not with you is he?'"
Cradle To Grave has been written by Baker and Jeff Pope, a writer whose other credits include The Fattest Man In Britain and the forthcoming BBC Laurel & Hardy biopic Stan And Ollie.
Cradle To Grave has been described as an upbeat comedy that will "bring Baker's tales of his early 'wheeler-dealery' years in London's Bermondsey to vivid life".
Peter Kay has a number of TV projects in the works. Car Share, a new sitcom he has directed and stars in, will premiere on the BBC next year; and he has also filmed a one-off spoof for Channel 4 called Malachy's Millions.
It was suggested last month that Kay will be reviving hit sitcom Phoenix Nights as a stage show for Comic Relief. However, series co-writer Dave Spikey has since said in an interview that he has heard nothing about the plan.
Official news on the casting of Cradle To Grave is expected later in the year.
The scripts for the TV series are based on Baker's autobiography, Going To Sea In A Sieve, first released in 2012. The sleeve notes for the book say: "Born in 1957 in Deptford, south London, Danny's first job after dropping out of school at the age of 15 was in One Stop Records, a small record shop in London's West End, frequented by Elton John and Mick Jagger, a store rather like the one in High Fidelity.
"His career in print journalism began in 1976 when he co-founded the fanzine Sniffin' Glue leading to an offer from the New Musical Express, where his first job was as a receptionist. Soon after, Baker was contributing regular astute articles, reviews and later interviews to the publication. Danny then began making 30-minute documentaries at LWT for the cult series 20th Century Box, and appeared in two television commercials: Daz washing powder and Mars Bar chocolate.
"His stellar career on the radio began on BBC GLR in 1989, then moved to BBC Radio 5 where he presented sports shows including the groundbreaking 6-0-6, which still influences the media's approach to criticism of players, managers and referees. He also worked on BBC Radio 1, back to BBC GLR, Talk Radio and later on Virgin Radio."
Going To Sea In A Sieve is available to buy now