Sky has announced that Michelle De Swarte will star in The Baby, the darkly comic horror series coming to Sky Atlantic.

The comedian and TV presenter recently made her acting debut as a series regular in Netflix series The Duchess. Now she is set to play the central role of Natasha in The Baby, with Amira Ghazalla and Amber Grappy also confirmed to line up alongside her in the show.

The debut series of screenwriter Siân Robins-Grace, who has previously written for Sex Education, the eight episodes focus on a woman who must battle with her baby, with filming now underway.

Sky confirms: "Michelle De Swarte plays Natasha, who is the friend who's never made long-term plans. So when she is unexpectedly landed with a baby, her life of doing what she wants, when she wants, dramatically implodes. Controlling, manipulative and with violent powers, the baby twists Natasha's life into a horror show. And as she discovers the true extent of its deadly nature, Natasha makes increasingly desperate attempts to get rid of the baby. But while she doesn't want a baby, the baby wants her."

Amber Grappy, making her acting debut, will play Bobbi, Natasha's younger sister, "a children's magician and a ball of joy. Bobbi is everybody's favourite. There is nothing Bobbi wants more than to be a parent, to give love and to receive it. She couldn't be more different to Natasha if she tried. So when Bobbi sees her sister with the thing she wants most in the world - a baby - she is blinded by jealousy and unable to see the danger they are all in."

Meanwhile Amira Ghazalla will play Mrs Eaves, the 73 year-old "enigma" who has spent the last 50 years living out of her car. "She seems to be everywhere the Baby is. But who is she, and what does she want with Natasha's new arrival?"

Sky says: "Questioning who gets to choose and who doesn't, The Baby is a funny, raw examination of motherhood as an institution: a set of unspoken and often horrifying rules that affect women differently depending on how they're viewed by society. If you're not scared by that, you should be."

Michelle De Swarte comments: "Natasha is an emotionally arrested, flawed and 100% relatable character that I find it hard not to fall in love with as I read through the scripts. To be able to play someone I not only understand but am rooting for is a dream come true. Siân has written someone with depth, honesty and an authenticity that is as hilarious as it is heart-wrenching. I feel extremely blessed to be working with so many kick ass women on a project that is deliciously female centred."

Siân Robins-Grace co-created the series with Lucy Gaymer, who acts as producer on the project.

The show will feature an all-female writing room, with Robins-Grace joined by Sophie Goodhart, Kara Smith, Anchuli Felicia King and Susan Stanton, with Bisha K Ali as consultant.

The episodes will be directed by Ella Jones, Stacey Gregg and Faraz Shariat.

Siân Robins-Grace and Lucy Gaymer say: "Our casting director Aisha Bywaters has done a phenomenal job in bringing together Michelle, Amira and Amber these three incredible actors to helm the cast. As soon as we met them it felt like the roles were written for them. We're very excited to be working with Stacey, Faraz and Ella as directors across the show - brilliantly talented directors who will bring the episodes to life."

The series is currently being filmed, and - when finished - will air on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW.