SINGER Shaun Ryder is to appear on television in the unlikely role of saxophone player on stage at York Barbican.

The performance was filmed as part of the new Sky Arts 1 series First Love, which gives celebrities a chance to learn an instrument from scratch before taking to the stage.

The Happy Mondays frontman chose the saxophone and was filmed when he appeared performing the Glenn Miller classic Tuxedo Junction, alongside Jools Holland and his Orchestra at the Barbican, shortly before Christmas.

David Pounds, head of Electric Sky, which produced the show, said: “We are really thrilled about this new series. Each celebrity is passionate about bringing music back into their lives for their own very personal reasons and through their journey we see a very different side to them. With such a rock‘n’roll legend as Shaun Ryder reacquainting himself with his lost musical passion, it will make truly entertaining and enlightening television.”

The programme will be shown on Sky Arts 1 HD at 8pm on February 14.