Lisa Riley to star in Fat Friends

Lisa Riley is to star in the second series of ITV drama Fat Friends.

She will play an introvert called Rebecca in the series, written by Kay Mellor.

The You've Been Framed presenter says she was upset at not being asked to be involved in the first series.

"I was a big fan of the first series but I was really upset they didn't ask me to be involved. I thought 'I'm fat, so why didn't they ask me'," she told Now magazine.

"I was thrilled when they asked me to play Rebecca. She's completely different to anything I've ever done.

"Mandy Dingle was all garish colours and larger than life, while this character is a complete and utter introvert."

Fat Friends focused on a group of Yorkshire women struggling to shed the pounds at a slimming club.

It featured a host of stars including Alison Steadman, Josie Lawrence, Meera Syal and Kay's daughter Gaynor Faye.

The drama averaged 9.3 million viewers across its first six-week run.

Lisa's next TV role will be in a BBC hairdressing comedy called Having It Off, in which she plays a one-legged line dancer, later this year.