Comedian Peter Kay 'thrilled' to play Danny Baker's father in autobiographical comedy series

The series will chronicle Danny's upbringing in the 1970s

Comedian Peter Kay is to star as Danny Baker's father Fred (Getty Images)

Peter Kay is to star in a BBC comedy about broadcaster Danny Baker’s life as a working-class Londoner.

The comedian will play Danny’s father Fred ‘Spud’ Baker – a union-leading dockworker – alongside former EastEnders actress Lucy Speed who is to play his mother Bet.

Set in 1974, the eight-part series called Cradle To Grave follows the real life events of Danny and his family living in a council flat in Bermondsey, as set out in his autobiography Going To Sea In A Sieve.

Wheeler-dealer Fred has a penchant for cheeky scheming and Bet, who works in a factory, just wishes that the family would play by the rules. Danny also has two siblings, Sharon and Michael, who will be played by Alice Sykes and Frankie Wilson.

Danny Baker's memoirs have been adapted for a BBC series (BBC)

In Cradle To Grave, 15-year-old Danny, played by Laurie Kynaston, guides through the ups and downs of life after he leaves school and works in a West End record shop before starting his long career in journalism and broadcasting.

Peter said: “I am thrilled and honoured to be involved in a project of this scale.”

“It’s an exciting time,” he added.

Danny in his early 20s at NME magazine in 1979 (Rex Features)

Danny said: “Well this is weird and there’s no way around that. To see your life played out by actors is always going to be peculiar and also, frankly quite tremendous.

“I always knew these stories were thunderingly entertaining incidents and that I seemed to be hurtling through a particularly unpredictable, high velocity life peopled by extraordinary characters.

"Now here they are. This will be a fantastic, rich voyage back to a boisterous often maligned era, true tales told large - a strong family in a magnificent working-class community just getting on with life.”

Danny co-wrote the series with Jeff Pope, and it is due for broadcast on BBC Two later this year.