Shooting starts on Harry Hill movie

Julie Walters, Simon Bird co-star

Harry Hill will start filming his movie from Sunday alongside a host of comedy favourites.

Julie Walters, Simon Bird, Matt Lucas, Sheridan Smith, Marc Wootton, Julian Barratt and Jim Broadbent all have roles in the film, unimaginatively titled The Harry Hill Movie.

The plot revolves around a road trip Harry takes with his petrol-drinking Nan, to be played by Walters, after their pet hamster falls ill.

Bird plays a lunatic vet in pursuit; Lucas is Harry’s evil twin; and Smith is a seductive undersea shell person. The film – which culminates in a fight on top of The Blackpool Tower – also feature canine superstars The Dachsund Five, and indie rock band The Magic Numbers, who run a B’n’B.

The producers say it is ‘based on a true story’.

The shoot is expected to take eight weeks on location, and the film is due for release at the end of the year.

Steve Bendelack - whose credits include Mr Bean’s Holiday, Friday Night Dinner and The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse – is directing from a script Hill wrote with Jon Foster and James Lamont.

Hill said: ‘I’m thrilled at last to be able to tell the world the true story of my hamster’s struggle on the big screen and even more excited to be working with some of the comedy greats of the British film industry.’

Producer Robert Jones added: ‘It is an honour indeed to be able to help Harry bring a story so close to his heart to the public at large, many of whom will personally identify with the events depicted.’

Hill has also been working on a West End musical based on The X Factor.