Kylie Minogue (the actress) returns to British television in dark comedy Hey Diddle Dee

The "I Should Be So Lucky" singer and 1980s Neighbours star is taking a break from music to return to acting

Just days after announcing she was to take a break from singing to build an acting career, Kylie Minogue has revealed her first role will be a dark comedy drama on British television.

The former Neighbours star, who has sold almost 70 million records, is to appear in the one-off Hey Diddle Dee, part of Playhouse Presents… series on Sky Arts.

The 44-year-old Australian will line up alongside Peter Serafinowicz, Paul Kaye, and Mathew Horne in what first-time director Marc Warren, who starred in Hustle, called a “dream cast”. He said Minogue had appeared “by some miracle”.

Minogue said she knew “instinctively” that she wanted to be part of the project after receiving the script, adding Warren “has created a beautiful and quirky story”.

She revealed the decision to quit music after splitting with manager Terry Blamey, who helped launch her career at the age of 19 with "Locomotion", after the final performance of her recent tour on New Year’s Eve.

Blamey later said she had not totally given up singing, but was “taking a bit of a break”. She has acted sporadically after leaving Neighbours in 1989, with films including The Delinquients and Street Fighter.

This year she appeared in Holy Motors, a film that was in contention for the Palme D’Or in Cannes last year. The role, she said, mad her “hungry for more”.

Also making his directing debut in the Playhouse Presents… series is The Wire star Idris Elba, as well as Doctor Who star Matt Smith.

Elba, who also wrote The Pavement Psychologist which stars Anna Friel, said: “This was a tremendous opportunity that allowed me to showcase creativity that I don’t always have a chance to share with the public.”