Cilla Black will feature in an upcoming BBC sitcom, just weeks after the legendary entertainer’s death, it has been revealed.
READ MORE:
The former ‘Blind Date’ host will appear in Danny Baker’s new autobiographical comedy ‘Cradle To Grave’, which is based on his memoirs ‘Going To Sea In A Sieve’.
Cilla Black died earlier this month, aged 72
Clips of Cilla during her pop career will feature in the show, as a 12-year-old Danny dreams of marrying her.
According to The Sun, Cilla gave the BBC permission for herself to be portrayed on the show before her death at her home in Spain on 1 August.
A source told the paper: “Danny loved Cilla when he was a youngster and he really wanted this scene to be included. Cilla was consulted about it and said she was happy to feature.
“Jeff Pope [Screenwriter and producer] knows the family and worked with them on the ITV Cilla programme, so they trusted him to do a great job.”
"Obviously all this was done prior to Cilla’s death, but it is even more poignant now."
‘Cradle To Grave’ is set to air on BBC Two later this year, and sees Peter Kay play Danny’s father, Fred.
The series - set in 1974 - will tell the real-life story of the BBC Radio 2 DJ and his family, as he grew up in Bermondsey, south east London.
Peter Kay will play Danny's father, Fred
Speaking about the series in a press release, Danny said: “Well this is weird and there's no way around that. To see your life played out by actors is always going to be peculiar and also, frankly quite tremendous.
“I always knew these stories were thunderingly entertaining incidents and that I seemed to be hurtling through a particularly unpredictable, high-velocity life peopled by extraordinary characters. Now here they are.
“This will be a fantastic, rich voyage back to a boisterous often maligned era, true tales told large - a strong family in a magnificent working class community just getting on with life.”
Watch a trailer for the series below...
