The BBC has announced that its BBC iPlayer will premiere the first episode of comedy series Hank Zipzer before it reaches television. The show stars Henry Winkler of Happy Days fame where he played The Fonz.

The show will air on CBBC on 28 January, a week after it becomes available online to view. It will then continue on a weekly basis throughout the series.

The show will first air on BBC iPlayer this 21 January. This won't be the first time the online platform has been used as a means of release before broadcast. Jack Whitehall's Bad Education and Peter Kay's Car Share are two shows that have already been released in this way.

READ: BBC Three will premiere all scripted comedies on iPlayer a week before airing on TV

This is all part of the BBC Trust's iPlayer trial to premiere up to 40 hours of programmes across the service.

The thirteen thirty-minute episodes are inspired by the book series Hank Zipzer: The World’s Greatest Underachiever. It's based on Henry Winkler’s own experiences as a young boy growing up with dyslexia.

Cheryl Taylor, Controller of CBBC, says: "Hank’s adventures illuminate the ups and downs of a child navigating through life with dyslexia and do so with great warmth, insight and humour. The fact that Henry Winkler also appears in the show is just a huge cherry on an already delicious comedy cake."