Film star Andie MacDowell has been confirmed by the BBC to be replacing Taylor Lautner in the latest series of Cuckoo.

The brand new Series 5 will be published on iPlayer at 10am on Friday 4th January 2019. All seven episodes will air weekly on BBC One on Friday evenings at 11:35pm, starting on the same day.

The BBC explains: "Andie will be replacing Taylor Lautner who has played Dale in the hit series for three series as the title 'Cuckoo' character. Series 4 saw Dale depart Lichfield at the end of the series after he and Rachel leave to go travelling to Sierra Leone. Just as Ken Thompson thought the chaos of Cuckoo was behind him, the sister he never knew he had Ivy (Andie MacDowell) arrives..."

Cuckoo's key cast all otherwise return, including Greg Davies, Esther Smith, Kenneth Collard and Helen Baxendale.

Taylor Lautner says: "I'm so happy I get to pass my Cuckoo baton to someone as talented as Andie. She'll do a great job keeping the Thompson family on their toes! I'll miss everyone on the show - not least Chief Ken. But not all goodbyes are forever."

Damian Kavanagh, Controller of BBC Three says: ""We're delighted that Andie MacDowell has joined the cast of Cuckoo for Series 5. Following Taylor's hugely popular stint on the show, Andie brings a different flavour to the show and it's incredibly exciting to see a talent of her calibre joining the brilliant existing cast for what will be another memorable slice of life with the Thompson family in Lichfield."

Shane Allen, Controller, Comedy Commissioning, adds: "Cuckoo's successful series regeneration of the lead protagonist makes it the Doctor Who of comedy. It's a real badge of quality for the show that the writing continues to attract the very cream of Hollywood talent to the Midlands."

Ash Atalla, Managing Director of producers Roughcut Television, concluded in a statement: "Andie MacDowell has been in some of my all-time favourite comedy films. What an honour to have her in Cuckoo. Hugh Grant was right, she's a class act."

Yesterday, it was confirmed that MacDowell will reunite with her Four Weddings And A Funeral co-stars for a special Comic Relief short sequel to the international smash-hit comedy. It will be shown on BBC One on Red Nose Day 2019.

The first three series of Cuckoo are available to buy on DVD now, with Series 4 available for pre-order ahead of release in March. Shop