The producers, based at the Twentieth Century Fox studio in Los Angeles, decided to approach Rowan Williams after he said he had noticed similarities between himself and Homer, the father of the Simpsons clan.

Williams explains his enthusiasm for the programme, which he says is “on the side of the angels”, in an interview to be broadcast next Sunday on ITV.

Al Jean, executive producer and chief writer of The Simpsons, was flattered by Williams’s support. “We’d love to have him on the show if he doesn’t mind Comic Book Guy calling him the ‘worst archbishop ever’,” said Jean. “A true fan will understand the humour in that because Comic Book Guy is the most cynical character in the show.

“It’s a great thrill that the archbishop is such a fan — you get praise from very unexpected quarters. In the beginning, some religious groups in the United States disliked the show, so to have such a prominent religious leader defend it is great.”

Jean said producers would try to match an appearance by Williams with an appropriate storyline. Williams will be asked to provide the voiceover for the episode.

In his interview, to be shown on ITV’s My Favourite Hymns, Williams says he “fell for” the cartoon six or seven years ago. “It works at so many levels. It’s funny for everybody: my eight-year-old loves it and the allusions and references are so rich.”

He adds: “It’s generally on the side of the angels and on the side of sense. It punctures lots of pompous fictions about how the world works.”

Asked if he sees any similarities between himself and Homer, he says: “Homer is the average human creature liable to self-delusion and somehow by the grace of God — or something like that — surviving. So yes, there is an element of that.”

Williams also praises the family model in the show: “What you see in The Simpsons is not a dysfunctional family but a family with remarkable strength and remarkable mutual commitment. For all that Homer is a slob and Bart is a brat and Lisa is a pain in the neck, you know there’s real affection and loyalty.”

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