Show tipped to succeed Friends

British sitcom Coupling is being remade in the US, where it is being touted as a replacement for Friends.

American network NBC has ordered a pilot episode of the show some are already describing as "Friends with sex".

Both shows deal with a group of six good-looking thirtysomething pals and their relationships inside and outside the group.

Producers of the American version of Coupling are using the same creative team behind the BBC original, though it is being made by US company Reveille.

The production house is run by Ben Silverman, formerly a top Hollywood agent who has an enviable track record in translating British shows into US hits, including Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, The Weakest Link and Queer as Folk.

Silverman told The Hollywood Reporter: "It's kind of a next-generation sitcom. It is really honest and edgy, and the humour flows more organically. It is a smart and fresh comedy."

Coupling is already shown in the US on BBC America.

Published: 18 Jun 2002