Dawn French and Harry Hill signed up for new ITV shows

Dawn French is to host a British version of hit US children's talent show Little Big Shots on ITV.

The series will see the comedian introduce gifted youngsters aged three to 13 - but, unlike with other talent shows, there is no competitive element.

It was the most-watched new programme on US TV in the 2015-16 season.

Meanwhile, ITV has revealed that Harry Hill will return to present a panel show featuring two teams tasked with saving Earth from an alien invasion.

In Harry Hill's Alien Fun Capsule, contestants will have to find "clips, people, basically anything that is fun or funny" to present to aliens in the event of an invasion "to demonstrate Earthlings are good fun and therefore worthy of saving".

Hill said: "It's great to be back on ITV with an all new format that finally tackles the problem of an imminent and prolonged war with space aliens, by proving to them that us humans are really a lot of fun to hang out with!"

The zany comic has fronted shows including TV Burp, You've Been Framed and Stars in Their Eyes for ITV in the past.

The two new productions were announced at the Edinburgh TV Festival.

Little Big Shots will not be Dawn French's first time on a talent show - she was a judge on ITV's Superstar in 2012 and on Australia's Got Talent the following year.

She has recently been filming a four-part drama titled Delicious for Sky1.

In a statement about her new hosting job, the Vicar of Dibley star said: "Rarely have I relished the thought of doing a show as much as this.

"I love love love everything about it, especially the fact that I will get to witness the amazing talents of these remarkable little humans up close. It's going to be a privilege."

In the US, Little Big Shots is hosted by Steve Harvey on NBC.

ITV also announced on Friday at the Edinburgh Television Festival it had commissioned a second series of its crime thriller Marcella, starring Anna Friel.

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