HANNAH Hobley was just 17 when she landed a part in a new TV series following her first ever audition.

The Burnley-born actress went on to play Chantelle Garvey in the first three series of the hit comedy but her latest role couldn’t be further removed from fun in the sun comedy.

For Hannah has joined Manchester-based theatre company Death by Pie to star in Westernized, one of the highlights of the Greater Manchester Fringe.

“It’s so different from anything that I’ve ever done before and I think people will be surprised when they see me in this,” said the former Fisher-More High School.

“It’s an absolutely bonkers production, but so much fun to be part of.”

Westernized is a comedy spoof set in a pop-up saloon.

“It is an immersive experience for the audience,” said Hannah. “They will be sat at tables in the bar and the show goes on around them.

“We are all playing quite a few characters so there will be loads of quick costume changes, it’s just nuts.”

As well as giving Hannah the chance to work in front of an audience, she also gets the chance to display another skill.

“I taught myself to play the ukelele a few years ago but I’ve never had the chance to incorporate that into a show before.

“Once Nathan Smith who wrote Westernized found out about it, he quickly wrote that into the show.”

Audiences who go along to the show in the pop-up saloon in the car park of 53two in Manchester when the show opens on Wednesday will be impressed by the authentic costumes worn by the cast.

“We have been hunting around the charity shops on an almost daily basis for weeks on end,” laughed Hannah. “We wanted the costumes to be as authentic as possible and we’ve done quite well finding little gems.”

As well as her role in Benidorm, Hannah also appeared in the BBC costume drama Cranford. One of her first stage roles was at Colne Muni when she played Fairy Liquid in the annual pantomime there.

“That’s such a lovely theatre,” said Hannah who moved to Manchester from Colne eight years ago.

“I have such fond memories of Benidorm. It was a joy to be in the original cast and work with such great actors. But I’m also loving working in the theatre, working with an audience is so different.

“I’ve never stopped learning on the job and this company have been so welcoming to me as they have all worked together before.

“Westernized would be an easy show to take on the road and it would be lovely to think that it might have a life after the fringe ends but we’ll just have to wait and see.”

Westernized runs at 53two, Manchester from Wednesday. July 18 to Saturday, July 28. For details of this and all other Greater Manchester Fringe productions visit www.greatermanchesterfringe.co.uk