Miley Cyrus to star alongside Woody Allen in new TV series

Cyrus, who was a TV hit as Hannah Montana, was "stoked" to work with Allen

Pop star Miley Cyrus has confirmed she is to star alongside Woody Allen in the veteran director's first TV series.

There will be six half-hour episodes of the as-yet unnamed 1960s-set show, which will stream on Amazon.

Cyrus, who first hit the small screen as Hannah Montana, said she was "stoked" to be joining the cast with Allen and actress Elaine May.

Allen has previously described signing up to write and direct the show as a "catastrophic mistake".

He said at last year's Cannes Film Festival: "I thought six half-hours would be a cinch, but it's not. It's very hard. I'm not good at it, I'm floundering.

"It could be a cosmic embarrassment. I just hope I don't disappoint Amazon."

Cyrus, who starred in Hannah Montana from 2006 to 2011 as a schoolgirl who led a double life as a singer, announced the news on Instagram, with a post accompanied by a painting of Allen.

'Honour' working with Allen

In the message, scattered with expletives, she said she had originally decided 2016 was the year of "chillin" but changed her mind when the TV opportunity arose.

Referring to the portrait, which has been next to her bed for several years, the 23-year-old told followers she was "looking into his eyes" when she "got the call" to work with May and "da dude himself".

Annie Hall director Allen, 80, has previously worked with May on his 2000 film Small Time Crooks.

The series is due to be available to Amazon Prime subscribers in the US, UK and Germany later this year. Deadline reported that shooting will begin in March.

When the series was announced last year, Amazon Studios vice president Roy Price said it was an "honour" to be working with Allen, whose films also include Blue Jasmine, for which Cate Blanchett won and Oscar, and Bafta-winning Manhattan.

Amazon has won awards for comedy Transparent and is also behind the new motoring show fronted by former Top Gear hosts Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond .