British actress Keira Knightley is expected to hit London's West End in the challenging role of Eliza Doolittle in a stage production of My Fair Lady.

Knightley is reportedly "desperate" to play the cockney flower girl who is transformed into a well-spoken socialite, a part made famous by Audrey Hepburn in the 1964 screen adaptation.

And theatre mogul Sir Cameron Mackintosh, who produced the 2001 production starring UK soap star Martine Mccutcheon, is keen to consider the Pride And Prejudice beauty for his new version, despite her lack of theatre experience.

A pal says, "Keira was studying the script madly while filming the sequels to Pirates Of The Caribbean in the Bahamas. She is due to have a session with Sir Cameron's musical director in London. Keira is a huge fan of musicals and is desperate to do it."

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)