ITV launch Clare in the Community

Julia Sawalha is to star as a social worker in a new ITV sitcom.

The Absolutely Fabulous star will take the title role in the comedy Clare in the Community, one of a raft of shows just announced by ITV controller of comedy Sioned Wiliam.

Others include Rik Mayall reunited with New Statesmen writers Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran for Believe Nothing, Hardware, starring The Office's Martin Freeman, and Linda Robson in Hogwash.

Wiliam said ITV was shedding its poor reputation for comedy, thanks to a £1 million rolling fund.

But she told TV industry website Produxion.com: "It has taken a while to get people to come back."

Published: 7 Mar 2002