Mel Giedroyc has spoken of her excitement about returning to theatre ahead of doing Shakespeare at the Rose Theatre in Kingston.

She will play Beatrice, the feuding lover of Benedick, played by John Hopkins, in Much Ado About Nothing from April 13 to May 6.

She said: "Sue (Perkins, her comedy partner) and I were out on the circuit for seven years before we did Light Lunch, so our background is very much live.

"And I mean getting in a car – actually we couldn't drive then, we couldn't afford it – a mate used to drive us to various arts centres around the country.

"We would pay for our own shows, we would put them on, we did everything ourselves, so I've always totally loved being on a stage in front of an audience. That is where I feel most happy really.

"So I got slightly distracted along the way with a few little bits and pieces, bits of telly, and it feels amazing to be coming back and doing this. I am genuinely very very excited."

Speaking to Surrey Comet about the Rose’s tenth anniversary this year, chief executive Robert O’Dowd said how pleased he was to have the former Great British Bake Off presenter in Kingston.

He said: “I think having Mel Giedroyc in house doing Shakespeare is very exciting. People perhaps don’t know her acting pedigree, which is strong.”