KFC’s Colonel Sanders gets a sexy new look with Mad Men star

Colonel Sanders has undergone a sexy makeover of sorts with actor Vincent Kartheiser drafted in as the new face of the southern fried chicken favourite.

The 37-year-old is familiar to most people as Pete Campbell, a conniving and manipulative employee of the ad agency at the centre of AMC’s critically acclaimed drama series Mad Men.

Evidently keen to improve his image in the public eye, Kartheiser will feature in a series of ad for the brand, decked out in all of the Colonel’s usual garb.

There is one key difference though with Kartheiser cast as something a “heartthrob Nashville hot Colonel Sanders” which basically makes him sound a bit like Elvis or Buddy Holly, but with a fried chicken twist.

It’s all part of KFC’s promotion, in the US, of a brand new spicy chicken product.

“Like KFC’s Nashville Hot Chicken, I’m a bit of a rebel decked out in authentic Nashville flavour — a perfect combination of classic and cool,” the actor said in a statement.

Picked for his “piercing blue eyes” and “vintage good looks” according to KFC officials, how long Kartheiser stays in the role remains to be seen, with the actor no doubt keen to avoid being typecast.

He’s set for a busy couple of months in any case, with upcoming film, A Kind of Murder, due for release in December and a further two movies set for 2017.

For now though, he’s finger lickin’ good being the Colonel.