Not your average Virgin Mary

She’s built her career out of taking her clothes off and playing the blonde bombshell.

So it’s little wonder that the makers of a new comedy sketch saw the funny side in casting Pamela Anderson as the Virgin Mary.

“A Russell Peters Christmas” will air in December on the CTV network in Anderson’s native Canada.

It promises an “irreverent twist on the Christmas special making it unlike anything viewers have seen before”.

The former “Baywatch” star will appear alongside Canadian comedian Russell Peters in the hour-long special.

In a promotional still for the show, a smiling Anderson appears in a white robe cradling the baby Jesus in her arms.

Other guests to appear in the special include crooner Michael Bublé and comedy actor Jon Lovitz.

Writing in the Boston Examiner, liberal Christian Tom Nalesnik predicted some anger among conservative Christians but offered a different perspective.

“No doubt, numerous people will express their ‘collective outrage’ over the TV special. But that’s the knee-jerk reaction, especially from more conservative church members. What if we dig deeper?"

Rather than condemning the unusual casting choice, Nalesnik suggested that Anderson could in fact empathise with the real Mary who had become pregnant before her marriage to Joseph had been consummated.

“In an odd way, Pamela Anderson could actually empathise with Mary, since she herself has experienced criticism and ostracism for some of her own career choices and film roles," says Nalesnik.

He suggests Christians see the funny side of the comedy sketch.

“We Christians take things way too seriously – to the point that far too many portraits have been painted over the centuries depicting Jesus as a serious, grim, humourless man of God.”

He adds: “Perhaps we could all use a few more smiles when retelling the Christmas story.”