ITV has booked comedians Ben Miller and Romesh Ranganathan to front the pilot episode of Out Of This World, a new science-based entertainment show.

Miller and Ranganathan will be joined on screen by maths expert Rachel Riley - best known to comedy fans for her appearances in 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown - and 'two TV geniuses' when the pilot episode is recorded tomorrow night (17th March).

ITV describes Out Of This World as "a brand new entertaining, exciting science series which sets out to answer some of the biggest questions in the world like... How do you blow things up in space? Will genetics ever bring back the dinosaurs? Why do we only find certain people attractive? Why are we not all frightened of the same thing?"

They add: "The studio audience will not only be entertained and engaged by them, but also our 'Professor Know-It-All' you can ask him any science question you like, daft or serious he will have the answer."

It is believed that the pilot of Out Of This World, which is being recorded at The London Studios, is not intended for broadcast, but will be viewed by ITV executives who will then decide whether to order a series or not.

Last year Sky broadcast Duck Quacks Don't Echo, a comedy entertainment show hosted by Lee Mack which used popular science to deliver facts and trivia.

Prior to turning to comedy writing and acting, Ben Miller went to Cambridge University to study for a PhD in solid state physics; meanwhile Ranganathan taught maths at a secondary school in Crawley before quitting to become a stand-up comedian.

News of Out Of This World follows on from Ben Miller being confirmed for the lead role in a new sitcom. He will play a man who is bewildered and lost when his wife suddenly leaves him in I Want My Wife Back, a BBC One series from the writers of The Worst Week Of My Life.