Frances Ha star Greta Gerwig has landed the lead role in How I Met Your Mother spin-off, How I Met Your Dad.

The actress/writer/director is heading to the small screen in the show by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, who are also the co-creators of top-rated sitcom How I Met Your Mother.

Gerwig will play the main character Sally, who realises she has nothing in common with her husband of less than a year, and finds support from her family and close group of friends as she goes through the break-up.

Following the format of its predecessor, How I Met Your Dad will tell the tale of how Sally meets the ultimate love of her life.

The news comes as How I Met Your Mother, starring Neil Patrick Harris, Jason Segel and Alyson Hannigan, nears the end of its ninth and final season, which concludes on 31 March (14).