Lib Dem leader joins Albert Square

Charles Kennedy has never been one to shy away from the TV cameras but his latest effort looks set to eclipse all previous appearances.

12:31 10 December 2004

Charles Kennedy has never been one to shy away from the TV cameras but his latest effort looks set to eclipse all previous appearances.

The Lib Dem leader, dubbed 'chat show Charlie' for his prolific small-screen antics, will play the Ghost of Christmas Future in a sketch for a seasonal special of EastEnders.

The one-off Christmas Eve episode will be based on Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol and will feature all the usual cast from the Square.

"It is cracking that the EastEnders team thought that Charles was the kind of person that their viewers wanted to see on a Christmas special," said Lib Dem MP Sarah Teather.

"There's 16 million viewers of this programme - what politician would turn down that opportunity? I guess the others weren't asked.

"It's a bit of fun and it's Christmas - even Victor Meldrew gets a special outing at Christmas."

However, the Guardian's political sketch writer, Simon Hoggart, was unimpressed at Mr Kennedy's latest venture.

"I don't think clowning around on EastEnders is going to help," he told BBC Radio Four's Today programme.

"We know that Charles Kennedy is one of the lads, he's a good bloke. With an election coming up what he needs to do is establish his seriousness."

Mr Kennedy's previous appearances include the BBC's current affairs quiz show Have I Got News for You.