Keeley Hawes joins Year of the Rabbit

Keeley Hawes has joined the cast of \'Year of the Rabbit\'.

The 42-year-old actress will guest star in the Channel 4 comedy series, which will feature Matt Berry, Freddie Fox and Susan Wokoma, as mysterious character Lydia, and and she is delighted to be working "on such a brilliantly original show".

She said: "Lydia is such an enigmatic character. It\'s been a thoroughly enjoyable, bonkers experience."

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The six-part series follows Detective Inspector Rabbit as a "hardened booze-hound cop in Victorian London" and his two partners in Victorian Whitechapel.

Channel 4 added: "He\'s aided and abetted by his new partner Wilbur Strauss (Freddie Fox) and the country\'s first female police officer, Mabel Wisbech (Susan Wokoma), as they bring justice to the streets of the East End."

Sally Phillips - who will play Princess Juliana of Bulgaria - is also delighted to have joined the cast and loved playing an Eastern European autocrat with access to guns.

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She said: "I can report that there is literally nothing more pleasurable than playing a haughty, 19th Century, pansexual, Bulgarian autocrat with access to guns. I may have peaked."

Jill Halfpenny - who will feature as the Rabbit\'s ex-girlfriend Flora - had "the best time" filming the show.

She added: "I\'m thrilled to be a part of Year Of The Rabbit. It\'s an amazing creative team and I\'ve had the best time making it."

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The programme, which has gone into production, will feature Alun Armstrong, Paul Kaye, Craig Parkinson, David Dawson, Ann Mitchell, Alistair Petrie, Garth Marenghi and Matthew Holness.

The upcoming series is directed by BAFTA-nominated Ben Taylor and produced by Hannah Mackay.