Oldham celebrity Sarah Lancashire is set to star in a brand new Netflix spy thriller.

The six-episode Christmas mystery, titled ‘Black Doves’, will see the Oldham-born talent return to our screens as a secretive spy mistress.

It will feature a star-studded cast that also includes A-listers Keira Knightley, Ben Whishaw and Tracey Ullman.

Lancashire, who is best known for smash hit TV series Happy Valley, is a proud Oldhamer, having attended the Oldham Hulme Grammar School, on Chamber Road, in her youth.

The 59-year-old's new series will tell the story of an unlikely spy-assassin duo, which Netflix said will feature “plenty of British wit, knife fights, and holiday cheer".

Knightley, aged 39, plays a professional spy who for a decade has been passing on her politician husband’s secrets to the shadowy organisation she works for, the Black Doves.

While 43-year-old Wishaw, who won a Bafta for best leading actor this year for his portrayal of Adam in BBC series This Is Going To Hurt, will play Sam Young - a Champagne-drinking assassin.

It is expected to land on Netflix later this year.

Have you got a story to share? We cover everything from business openings and refurbishments, to politics and crime. Email joe.yates@newsquest.co.uk and follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @JMYjourno for regular updates