A SCOTTISH comedy favourite is set to host a major Channel 4 television event.

Frankie Boyle has been enlisted to "offer an alternative" to the "pomp and ceremony" of King Charles's coronation coverage.

In a pre-coronation special titled Frankie Boyle's Farewell to the Monarchy, the 50-year-old Glaswegian joker will provide a very different spin on the history of the Royal Family.

Boyle describes the British monarchy as 'increasingly appearing like animals in a zoo that's fallen on hard times - fidgety, balding, pacing up and down their marble cage'.

The National:

Taking viewers on a "wry and spiky" journey through the monarchy's 1000-year history, audiences can expect a ruthless review of the state of the Royal family and its future.

Pulling out all the stops, Boyle will be dissecting a royal past filled with "violent, ruthless, land grabbing, child murdering, wife-beheading, slave trading, misogynist and empire-building".

Ian Katz, Channel 4's chief content officer, said: “Channel 4 exists to provide viewers with an alternative, so as the nation is engulfed by pomp, circumstance and forelock-tugging, we’ll be offering a rather less reverential slate of programmes including Frankie Boyle’s case against the monarchy and the Windsors’ scabrous satirical take on the Coronation.”

Programming in the lead-up to the coronation will also include The Windsors Coronation Special, a two-part series called Andrew - The Problem Prince featuring Emily Maitlis.