Alan Carr creates show about growing up in Northampton

Alan Carr is making a TV sitcom about his life growing up in his hometown in the 1980s.

The comedian said he was looking for a boy to play a "young Alan" in the show depicting his childhood in Northampton.

Although Carr was born in Weymouth, he spent most of his youth in the county town, where his father Graham managed Northampton Town Football Club.

In a social media post, Carr said they were looking for an actor aged between 10 and 13 with "my charisma".

He told those interested in the role to "put your fake comedy and glasses away" as they did not want a caricature.

Instead, Carr said: "This is about a young boy on the cusp of puberty starting his journey in this very masculine world of lower league football."

Graham Carr played for the Cobblers during their only season in the top flight in 1965-66 and managed them when they won the Fourth Division title in 1986-87.

His son previously said that although "football was never really my thing", he had a lot of memories of spending time at the club's old County Ground - where home matches were played until they moved to Sixfields Stadium in the 1990s.

As part of the casting process, those interested have been asked to record and submit a monologue.

The monologue reflects how Carr, who is married to party planner Paul Drayton, was "hardly footballer material".

It also mentions his love of murder mystery books and his sweet tooth.

The host of Channel 4's Chatty Man said they were looking for someone with his "energy" and his "kind of spirit".

The show is being developed by Baby Cow Productions, which worked on comedies including the BBC's Gavin & Stacey, Alan Partridge and The Mighty Boosh.

Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk