Twilight star Taylor Lautner to star in Lichfield based comedy

The Hollywood star is to take the lead role alongside Helen Baxendale in second series of hit BBC3 comedy show Cuckoo

Twilight star Taylor Lautner is moving to Lichfield for a TV sitcom.

Or at least he is on screen. In reality, the BBC3 comedy Cuckoo is set in the Midlands but filmed in London.

The Hollywood star has replaced Andy Samberg in the cast of the Bafta-nominated comedy, which also stars Midland actors Greg Davies, Helen Baxendale and Tamla Kari.

It is written by Robin French and Kieron Quirke, who met while pupils at King Edward’s School in Edgbaston, Birmingham.

The second series is set two years after student Rachel (Kari, from Coventry) returns from a gap year abroad with a new husband, a hippy called Cuckoo (Samberg).

The idea appals her parents, Lichfield solicitor Ken (Davies, from Shrewsbury) and his wife Lorna (Baxendale, from Shenstone in Staffordshire).

As we revisit the family, Cuckoo has flown the nest to research a book and gone missing in the foothills of the Himalayas.

Eventually presumed dead, Rachel is left to grieve for her short-lived marriage – until a handsome, mysterious stranger arrives in the shape of 22-year-old Taylor Lautner, who as werewolf Jacob Black was one third of the Twilight love triangle.

BBC3 controller Zai Bennett said: “Cuckoo was one of BBC3’s most-stand out comedies, so I’m delighted to welcome it back with the addition of superstar Taylor Lautner for what will be one of the comedy treats of the year.”