Disgraced actor Kevin Spacey is set to return to the screens, playing one of the main characters in a new comedy series on Italian television.

The streaming portal RaiPlay plans to release the first five episodes of Minimarket on Boxing Day.

In the series, Spacey, 66, plays an Oscar winner and imaginary friend of a law graduate who dreams of TV stardom.

The career of the former Hollywood star, who gained fame for films like American Beauty and TV shows like House of Cards, took a hit in 2017 after allegations of sexual assault were made against him.

In a London criminal court trial, Spacey was acquitted on all charges.

He is expected to face three civil lawsuits in London in 2026 over the same allegations.

Last month, the actor took to social media to deny claims he was living on the streets after an interview he gave with a UK newspaper was published under the headline: “Homeless, cancelled and crooning in Cyprus”.

After it went viral, Spacey clarified that he had actually been living in hotels and Airbnbs “and going where the work is, just as I did when I first started out in this business”.

“I’ve been working nearly non-stop this entire year and, for that, I have so much to be grateful for,” he said.

In recent years he has tried to rebuild his career, and in November performed a live show titled Songs and Stories at a nightclub in Cyrus.