The Royle Family co-writer Caroline Aherne and its executive producer Andy Harries are working together on a comedy film.

The Fattest Man is expected to be released in cinemas then broadcast on terrestrial television.

Harries said: "It's early days. It is about the UK's fattest man – he's trying to work out if the kudos of having that title is worth sacrificing his life for. It will definitely have a splash of The Royle Family in it."

The film is being developed by Harries' Left Bank Pictures with ITV Productions, which made Royle, but has not yet been cast.