Acting definitely runs in the blood for one family, as a mother and her two sons have been picked to appear in a new BBC drama series.

Brothers Joshua and Ethan Sarphie, who attend Abingdon Preparatory School, will appear in Mutual Friends, along with their mother Anna, which will be aired in the autumn.

The series, to be broadcast in the autumn, stars Keeley Hawes, from Ashes to Ashes, Marc Warren, who appeared in Hustle, and comedian Alexander Armstrong.

Joshua, 11, plays only child Dan of the two stars, Martin and Jen, and appeared in the pilot, which was filmed last year.

He got the part through an audition for a Disney film where he was unsuccessful, but was recommended to try for Mutual Friends. Ethan, aged nine, was asked to join the cast in a non-speaking role after director Catherine Morshead spotted him as he waited on the set while his brother was filmed.

Mrs Sarphie has joined in as an extra for some of the scenes.

She said: "It's very hard work, with long hours and school tuition in between, but the boys thrive on it."

The boys, who live in Bampton, have been given time off from school while they are filming.

Mrs Sarphie said: "Abingdon Preparatory has been very supportive.

"The drama is excellent at the school and they manage to nurture talent and interest in a wide range of activities as well as performing well academically.

"Acting is very much their first love, but I am keen for them to do well at school at the same time.

"You never know what the future holds with acting, so I feel it's vital to have something to fall back on."

Both brothers would like to pursue a career in acting and Joshua has already had a part in the West End production of Waiting for Godot and in Beauty and the Beast and The Wizard of Oz in Oxford's New Theatre.

Mutual Friends, a six-part comedy drama series, focuses on Martin Grantham and his two best friends Patrick and Carl, who could not be more different.

After Carl throws himself under a train, Martin's life changes forever and into the picture steps old friend and pathological womaniser Patrick.

It is written by Richard Pinto and Anil Gupta, who also created The Kumars at No 42 and Goodness Gracious Me.

This is not the first time fame has come to Abingdon, as last March parts of the town were used in the making of another BBC drama, Coming of Age.

The series is written by Abingdon student Tim Dawson and is based on the young scriptwriter's time growing up in the town.