Fry, Mitchell and Webb in BBC spoof

Stephen Fry, David Mitchell and Robert Webb are to star in a new Dickensian spoof, The Bleak Old Shop Of Stuff, for BBC Two.

The series is a TV version of Radio 4’s hit Bleak Expectations, which has run since 2007.

Chortle reported in February that the series was in the pipeline, now the BBC has confirmed the casting of what will be an hour-long Christmas special followed by three 30 minute episodes.

Webb will take the lead as Jedrington Secret-Past, London's most successful purveyor of odd things, with Mitchell as his sidekick. Katherine Parkinson of The IT Crowd also has a starring role as Jedrington’s wife .

The special, to air on Christmas Eve, will feature Fry as the evil lawyer Malifax Skulkingworm.

BBC head of in-house comedy Mark Freeland said: ‘Mark Evans's already well-loved Victorian comic world is a wonderful way to celebrate the bicentenary of Dickens' birth. He probably wouldn't have agreed, but I am very excited.’

Webb added; ‘I'm really looking forward to working with my all time hero David Mitchell. Apparently Stephen Fry is in it too, which is nice’

Published: 2 Oct 2011