A TELEVISION mega-star will visiting a sleepy Somerset village over Christmas. Little Britain actor David Walliams will be visiting Cross near Axbridge to get a feel for his new role as comic legend Frankie Howerd.

A TELEVISION mega-star will visiting a sleepy Somerset village over Christmas.

Little Britain actor David Walliams will be visiting Cross near Axbridge to get a feel for his new role as comic legend Frankie Howerd.

The 36-year-old, who studied at Bristol University before teaming up with Matt Lucas to write the smash hit BBC series Little Britain, will be visiting Frankie's former residence Wavering Down House.

The comic genius is famed for his roles as Sebastian, the Prime Minister's faithful right-hand man, Ray McCooney who lives in a fantasy medieval world in Scotland and Emily Howard, the rubbish transvestite, in the hit British sketch show.

But now he has taken on the role of a lifetime, playing Frankie Howerd in a new dramatisation of his life. The star is a 'massive fan' of the Carry On actor and once managed to get his autograph when he was a child.

The BBC is rumoured to be filming for a docu-drama in Cross as well as London, America and Malta, where Frankie and his lover Dennis Heymer, who still lives in the house in Somerset, had a holiday home.

To get a feel for the role, David Walliams will be visiting the house and meeting with Dennis and Frankie's former nurse Chris Byrne.

Chris said: "I am so excited about meeting David.

"This is a great opportunity for Dennis to really tell his side of the story. There were rumours Frankie treated him like a skivvy but they were lovers for 40 years.

"The BBC interviewed Dennis for 29 hours, which really took a lot out of him."

The star, who will be appearing on The Paul O'Grady Show tonight (Thurs) at 5pm on Channel Four, will be staying at the house overnight to meet Dennis and discuss the role before filming starts next year.

Tom Hardy, who is currently playing Bill Sikes in the BBC drama Oliver Twist, is rumoured to be playing Dennis, although this is still unconfirmed.