Fat Lady framed

Cop an eyeful of Dawn French in the latest Harry Potter film, Prisoner of Azkaban, as the Fat Lady, who appears in a talking painting at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The Fat Lady hangs guard outside the Griffindor common room. After a student declares the password, she swings her picture frame to allow access to the room through the portrait hole.

In one of the new movie's scenes a group of students is left less than impressed by the Fat Lady's singing ability.

Speaking about the role Dawn said, "I'm playing the Fat Lady which is odd because I'm actually really skinny. So I said to them I will do it, but I've got to eat loads of doughnuts."

Last year co-producer Chris Columbus said: "I think she's incredibly funny and her Harry Potter spoof for Comic Relief was pretty amazing."