The Withnail And I star plays the title character alongside British acting talents Warren Clark, Emilia Fox and Celia Imrie in director Garrick Hamm's short film, and confessed the idea in reality filled him with dread.

Richard joked: "Having been married 23 years myself... being married to yourself is tragic!"

The 53-year-old actor confessed he enjoyed filming his solo wedding night. He revealed he most looked forward to "my wedding night scene and to be seen post-pleasuring myself with the entire range of Ann Summers around me".

Richard explained he was drawn to the title of the film.

He said: "You know it's going to be unusual. And Charlie Fish had written such an off-the-wall story. It has an internal logic that just appealed to me. I thought it was a wonderful idea.

"My character is very lonely and isolated. He can't find love - a modern dilemma! Because he can't find a suitable woman to marry he decides to marry himself.

"I hope people laugh. It's been very stylishly costumed and the sets and all of that adds to it. With this level of professionalism I'm sure it has a good chance. It's an original story and idea, so that's always going to attract people."

The Man Who Married Himself has been selected for two prestigious US film festivals this summer, the LA Shorts Fest, which begins on July 22, and the 2010 Rhode Island International Film Festival in August, which is also a qualifying event for the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.