Cleese and Elton back on BBC

BEN ELTON, Caroline Quentin, John Cleese, Stephen Fry, and David Ginola are among the famous faces unveiled in the BBC's pounds 278m spring and summer schedule yesterday.

In BBC1 drama, the former Brookside star John McArdle, EastEnder Lindsey Coulson and Dominic West play caring doctors in the medical series Out Of Hours.

An action-packed science fiction thriller Invasion: Earth is set in the present day and stars Vincent Regan, Maggie O'Neill, Fred Ward and Phyllis Logan.

City Central, a new police drama, will make its debut and another new BBC1 drama offering is Close Relations, a story of love and revenge featuring Amanda Redman, Sheila Hancock and Kate Buffrey.

Kevin Whately is back in a second series of The Brokers' Man and Letitia Dean gets a second series of The Hello Girls about a 1950s telephone exchange.

In The Red on BBC2 is a wicked satire on the BBC itself with a strong cast including Warren Clarke, Stephen Fry and Richard Wilson. The radio hit Spoonface Steinberg has been made for television on BBC2.

Kiss Me Kate is Caroline Quentin's new comedy about a happily single career woman, while Ben Elton has an eight-part comedy series and Blankety Blank returns to BBC1 with Lily Savage at the helm.

The Human Body, a science show presented by the fertility expert Professor Robert Winston, claims to be the most comprehensive biology series ever made.

Rolf's Amazing World Of Animals is a new factual vehicle for Rolf Harris and BBC2 presents The Windrush Season, marking the 50th anniversary of Caribbean immigration to Britain.

Sport will include the World Cup football finals - with David Ginola in the commentary team - the Grand National, Test Match Cricket, Wimbledon and the Open Golf, while the former world heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali will be celebrated with a theme evening on BBC2.