Patrick Swayze will star in the A&E drama “The Beast,” portraying an FBI agent whom he describes as “multi-layered, unpredictable and downright entertaining,” making this his first project since being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Swayze will start filming this summer, the network announced Sunday. He will star as Charles Barker, an unconventional veteran FBI agent, who is teamed up with a rookie partner played by Australian actor Travis Fimmel, whom he must teach the fine ropes of the job.

His unusual undercover techniques meanwhile make him the target of an Internal Affairs investigation.

Swayze shot the pilot in December 2007. His personal life took an unexpected turn in March, when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The 55-year-old has been undergoing treatment and says he is responding well.

Swayze said a in a statement from the network that had searched “for quite a long time” to find a character such as Barker, who is “this multi-layered, unpredictable and downright entertaining.”

The “Dirty Dancing” star also called the project “current and cutting edged.”

The show will be filmed in Chicago. It is slated for an early 2009 debut. A&E has picked up the series for 13 hour-long episodes.

“Chicago is an amazing, untapped city. I can’t wait to get to work on this,” the actor added.

Swayze will continue his course of treatment throughout filming. He has been receiving treatment at Stanford University Medical Center, near San Francisco.

Swayze and his wife of 30 years, Lisa Noemi, made an unexpected and pleasing public appearance last month, when they attended a Los Angeles Lakers game. This was Swayze’s first public outing since announcing his illness.