Written by Peter Capaldi

Terry Gilliam is to star in a new BBC mockumentary about fictional forgotten film stars.

The Cricklewood Greats has been written by The Thick Of It’s Peter Capaldi along with Tony Roche, who was also on the political satire’s writing team.

Other actors taking part include Life Of Reilly's Marcia Warren, former Hollyoaks star Tim Downie, and Alex Macqueen, who played Julius Nicholson in The Thick Of It.

A pilot is being made for BBC Four, but Capaldi would not be drawn too deeply into the details of the project in an interview with Chortle today.

However, he did confirm that Malcolm Tucker would be making an appearance in the fourth series of The Thick Of It next year; the first episodes since the Tory-led coalition took power.

But he also dropped hints that the savage spin doctor might not be in the comedy forever, saying: ‘I don’t think it’s a show that’s reliant on cast.’

Capaldi was speaking to promote his role in IT Crowd writer Graham Linehan’s new take on the Ealing comedy The Ladykillers, which opens in Liverpool in October. Click here for the full interview.

Published: 25 Jul 2011