BOLTON actress Maxine Peake is taking a leading role in a new film set in the North.

Funny Cow will star Maxine, who is a former pupil of Westhoughton High School, as a comedienne trying to make it in the all-male world of stand-up clubs in the 1970s and 1980s.

Directed by award-winning director Adrian Shergold, the comedy-drama also stars a host of big names including film and television actor Paddy Considine, Boardwalk Empire and This is England’s Stephen Graham, comedian Vic Reeves and pop band Dexys Midnight Runners frontman Kevin Rowland.

Fellow Boltonian Diane Morgan, better known to television audiences as her comic creation Philomena Cunk, is also appearing in the film.

Musical talent on board includes acclaimed musician and songwriter Richard Hawley and MOBO award-winning Leeds singer Corinne Bailey Rae, who will both be appearing in the movie.

Set in Northern England, filming started yesterday and pictures of Maxine in character, whose name has yet to be disclosed, have been shared on the film’s official Twitter account.

The movie, produced by Gizmo Films, is written by Tony Pitts, who also appears as her ‘soulmate’ Bob in the film.

The tagline has been billed as — “A woman with a funnybone for a backbone.”

It has reportedly taken five years to get the film off the ground.

On the official website Ashanti McIntosh, of eOne which owns the rights to the film, said: “We’re thrilled to be involved with this smart, funny, original British film and look forward to bringing this fantastic set of characters to UK audiences.”

In the meantime anyone looking for a fix of Bolton humour can tune into Gold next week for We Have Been Watching.

Maxine teams up with Diane as the pair are taken off-screen and settled on the sofa to enjoy classic comedies including Blackadder, Only Fools and Horses and Extras.

Produced by Crook Productions for UKTV, the new series brings together some of the country’s best loved comics to watch and critique British comedy favourites.

Joining them on Wednesday’s show at 8pm will be Red Dwarf stars Craig Charles and Robert Llewellyn, and Nigel Planer, as known as Hippy Neil from The Young Ones.

Gold senior commissioning editor, Simon Lupton, said: “Crook Productions have assembled a wonderfully eclectic mix of comedians and comic actors to watch these classic clips with us.

“Their experiences and knowledge provide us with some incredibly insightful views, but it is seeing them watch these shows as comedy fans that is the real treat.”