Kelly Brook wins star role in Fat Pig

Kelly Brook is to take over from gavin and Stacey star Joanna Page in the hit play Fat Pig.

It will be the West End stage debut for Brook, 28, who is best known as a model, television presenter and FHM magazine's sexiest woman in the world for 2005. She split from her american actor fiance Billy Zane earlier this year.

She will play the part of Jeannie, whose on-off relationship with a colleague, Tom, disintegrates when he falls in love with a funny, sexy rival, Helen, who happens to be plus-sized.

Page created the role of Jeannie when the show opened at the Trafalgar Studios in May and will play the part for another month after the play transfers to the Comedy Theatre next week.

She will leave the cast on Saturday 11 October and Brook steps in the following week. Neither of the male leads of the Neil LaBute drama are continuing in the show. The comedian Kevin Bishop is taking over from Kris Marshall as Carter and Benidorm star Nicholas Burns succeeds robert Webb as Tom in the transfer.

But newcomer Ella Smith, who was hailed as a striking new talent for her portrayal of the overweight Helen, is staying in the cast.