Matthew Perry to portray Ted Kennedy in new Reelz miniseries

Former Friendsstar Matthew Perry will play Ted Kennedy in the forthcoming miniseries The Kennedys After Camelot.

Reelz cable channel on Tuesday announced his casting for the four-hour project, a follow-up to the miniseries The Kennedys.

The new film will begin production in May, to air in spring 2017.

American-born, Ottawa-raisedPerry portrays Ted Kennedy in the years following the assassinations of his brothers Jack and Bobby as he tries to continue the Kennedy legacy.

Katie Holmes will reprise her role as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis from The Kennedys,which aired on Reelz in 2011.

Perry, who starred for a decade in the comedy Friends,is currently appearing on the London stage in his playwriting debut, The End of Longing.

His CBS sitcom, The Odd Couple,begins its second season in April.