The Back to the Future star, Michael J Fox is to star in a brand new comedy, loosely based on his own life with Parkinson's disease.

Michael J Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in the early '90s, the news came soon after the series he had starred in for 7 years ended, Family Ties. What followed was a brief problem with alcohol before cleaning himself up and continuing his successful career. Now, what began as a traumatic diagnosis has turned into an opportunity, and Fox is set to star as a Newscaster with Parkinsons, which is due to air on NBC later in the year.

The comedy hasn't been named yet, but according to the Associated Press, Fox's fictional newscaster had quit his job, but "returns to work in the show's first episode because a new medical regimen has helped him control many of the disease's symptoms."

NBC have high hopes for the comedy, which will hit the air in September, as they want it to air on Thursday nights, expecting it to be part of a new line up that will fill the space left by the end of beloved comedies 30 Rock and The Office. It really is in the early stages of production, and casting hasn't even finished yet - Fox is meeting with actresses this week to choose someone to play his on air wife.