Former Doctor Who actor Christopher Eccleston is to play John Lennon in a new BBC drama.

The 90-minute show, Naked Lennon, will be aired next year to mark the 30th anniversary of The Beatles legend's murder.

The drama follows Lennon's life from the mid-sixties to 1971, including his split with The Beatles, his relationship with Yoko Ono and how he dealt with the death of the Fab Four's manager Brian Epstein.

Controller of BBC drama commissioning, Ben Stephenson, said: "Securing Christopher Eccleston to play John Lennon is further testament to the calibre of drama on BBC Four."

45-year-old Christopher Eccleston played the ninth Time Lord in 2005 and has starred in a variety of movies including 'Shallow Grave', '28 Days Later', 'GI Joe: The Rise of the Cobra', 'The Others' and '24 Hour Party People'.

(by Scott Colothan)