Lynda Bellingham is best known for her motherly role in the long-running Oxo cube adverts.

But theatre-goers will soon see the actress as never before when she takes to the West End stage - in the nude.

The 60-year-old, who is a regular presenter on ITV's Loose Women, is daring to bare all in a stage version of the award-winning film Calendar Girls. 

Actresses Patricia Hodge, Siân Phillips and Gaynor Faye will join her in the buff when the play arrives in London later this year.

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Stripping yarn: Gaynor Faye, Patricia Hodge, Sian Phillips, Lynda Bellingham, Elaine C Smith and Julia Hall star in the stage version of the 2003 hit film

Despite the nudity  there is unlikely to be any controversy and certainly no seediness.

While there will be up to 12 naked women of a certain age on stage at any one point, there will be no full frontal nudity because of a combination of strategically placed cakes, aprons, bread bins and other kitchen essentials.

The 2003 film starred Helen Mirren, Julie Waters and Celia Imrie in the true story of Yorkshire Women’s Institute members who stripped off to pose for a charity calendar that became a huge hit.

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All dressed up: The cast of Calendar Girls put their clothes back on

Tim Firth has adapted the screenplay he co-wrote for the film.

Directed by Hamish McColl, one half of stage comedy act The Right Size, it opens at the Chichester Festival Theatre on 16 September and goes on a nationwide tour before reaching the West End, possibly in time for Christmas.

Bellingham, who plays Chris Harper, Mirren’s role in the film, said: 'It is a fantastic script and gives the story a different dimension to the film — and it’s a play that offers decent roles to women of a certain age.

Tea and nudity: Penelope Wilton, Helen Mirren and Julie Walters starred in the 2003 hit film which will now hit the West End

I think it’s going to be empowering, not just for us but for the audience as well. I hope they stand up and cheer when we take our clothes off.'

Co-producer David Pugh, who was behind Equus with Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe, said three West End theatres were bidding to host the show.

'I haven’t decided which one yet — I’ll probably make that decision once we have opened in Chichester,' he said.

Wholesome family: Lynda with her on-screen husband, Michael Redfern, as she appeared in the Oxo TV adverts which ran in the 1980s and 90s

'But we hope to have them there for Christmas, which is, of course, the calendar season.'

Pugh has wanted to turn the story into a play since first hearing about it.

He said: 'I dashed up to Yorkshire, armed with bunches of flowers, to try to persuade them it would make a great play.

But they told me there was at least one film on the way so I knew I had no chance.

When Tim asked me if I wanted him to adapt the film for the stage I had to say yes. It is such a lovely story.'