Bodyguard's Keeley Hawes joins cast of new Channel 4 comedy Year of the Rabbit

Hawes, Sally Phillips and Jill Halfpenny have all signed up for the Victorian police comedy, which is led by Toast of London star Matt Berry.

The six-part Channel 4 series follows Detective Inspector Rabbit (Berry), a "hardened booze-hound cop in Victorian London," and his two partners Wilbur Strauss (Freddie Fox) and Mabel Wisbech (Susan Wokoma).

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Hawes, who plays the mysterious Lydia in the series, said she was delighted to be working "on such a brilliantly original show".

"Lydia is such an enigmatic character," she added. "It’s been a thoroughly enjoyable, bonkers experience.”

Channel 4 has confirmed that the period comedy has just gone into production, with New Tricks actor Alun Armstrong, Game of Thrones' Paul Kaye and Black Mirror: Bandersnatch's Craig Parkinson all joining the guest cast.

Year of the Rabbit is directed by Sex Education and Catastrophe director Ben Taylor, and is written by Veep writing duo Andy Riley and Kevin Cecil.

Ripper Street's David Dawson, Widows actress Ann Mitchell, Sex Education's Alistair Petrie and Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace star Matthew Holness complete the guest cast.