Matt Willis joins Birds Of A Feather cast

Matt Willis – formerly of boyband Busted – has joined the cast of Birds Of A Feather.

ITV has commissioned a new series of the classic sitcom following a fifteen year hiatus from screens with the show expected to air in Spring 2014. The show originally aired on BBC One between 1989 and 1998.

Birds Of A Feather stars Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson as sisters Sharon and Tracey (pictured) who set up home together after their husbands are jailed for armed robbery.

Their man-crazy neighbour Dorian (Lesley Joseph) also features regularly in their exploits. All three are reprising their roles for the ITV revival.

Willis is taking on the role of Garth ‘Garthy’ Stubbs – the son of Tracey Stubbs – a character previously played by Simon Nash and Matt Savage throughout the programme’s original run.

Willis said: “I’m so excited to be joining Birds of a Feather playing the role of Garthy! I used to watch the show growing up so this is just a dream job.  I can’t believe I’ll be working with Sharon, Tracey and Dorian.”

Meanwhile, Charlie Quirke – the real life son of Pauline Quirke – will play Tracey’s younger son Travis having portrayed the role in the recent stage adaption of the comedy.

The new series has been written by original writers Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran alongside writing duo Gary Lawson and John Phelps.