Simon Pegg: I'm the new Hugh Grant

The Hot Fuzz and Shaun Of The Dead star takes leading man status alongside Lake Bell in new rom com Man Up, which has premiered in London.

“This is what I’m going to do from now on. I’m going to be the new Hugh Grant. I’m going to be New Grant,” he said, adding: “I’m only going to do rom coms, but rom coms set in space.”

Man Up, which also stars Ophelia Lovibond, Olivia Williams, Rory Kinnear and Ken Stott, stars Simon and Lake as a couple who meet on a blind date.

“I think it’s a very traditional rom com. I think people in recent years have tried to subvert the rom com in some way, like it needed to be destroyed in order to be put back together again. It didn’t,” Simon explained.

“I think those people wanted to make rom coms but were too afraid to, whereas this is a rom com in the truest sense and it’s got a real heart to it. I think what people will take from it is just a huge sense of joy.”

W1A actress Ophelia, who wore a floral printed outfit to the premiere, admitted she had never been on a blind date, but once had an awkward date.

“It went really badly and I kept having to fight the urge to laugh because that’s what I do when I’m uncomfortable. Later on, one of my other friends texted me to ask how it had gone,” she recalled.

“I texted her back, telling her how awful it was, how it didn’t really work and how he was so awkward and sweaty because he was nervous, and he texted me back saying, ‘I think you meant to send this to somebody else’.”

Man Up opens in cinemas on May 29.