Dame Angela Lansbury will star in the upcoming Mary Poppins sequel, Disney has confirmed.

The 91-year-old actress will play the Balloon Lady, a treasured character from PL Travers’ original books.

Dame Angela is a Disney stalwart having previously voiced Mrs Potts in Beauty And The Beast and starred in Bedknobs And Broomsticks.

Dame Angela Lansbury (Dominic Lipinski/PA)
Dame Angela Lansbury (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

Emily Blunt is replacing Dame Julie Andrews as the magical nanny in Mary Poppins Returns, which is due to be released on Christmas Day 2018.

Dick Van Dyke had previously let slip Dame Angela would be appearing in the film when he confirmed he will make a cameo.

The 91-year-old actor, who played chimney sweep Burt in 1964′s Mary Poppins, told the Hollywood Reporter: “This one supposedly takes place 20 years later and the kids are all grown up.

Emily Blunt
Emily Blunt is taking on the role of Mary Poppins (Ian West/PA)

“It’s a great cast – Meryl Streep, Angela Lansbury and that guy (Lin-Manuel Miranda) from Hamilton.”

According to Variety, Meryl is playing Mary’s cousin Topsy in Mary Poppins Returns.

Lin Manuel, the creator and star of the hit Broadway musical Hamilton, will play street lamplighter Jack.

The film’s director is Rob Marshall, whose previous work includes Chicago and Into The Woods, while the script is being produced by Finding Neverland writer David Magee.