Kumars format sold to Australia

Spoof chat show The Kumars at Number 42 is being exported to Australia.

The format has already been sold to America, where the NBC network is making a pilot starring Cheech Marin, of the Cheech and Chong double act.

Now Granada Australia has started work on the antipodean version, renamed Greeks On The Roof.

As the title suggests, the family will be Greek, rather than Indian, and they will live on the top floor of a Melbourne tower block.

Similarly, the US version has been restyled to reflect the ethnic make-up of Los Angeles. The show there has been renamed The Ortegas and will revolve around a Mexican family.

An NBC executive has described The Ortegas as "very similar to The Larry Sanders Show, except the behind-the-scenes part is like a family sitcom".

Published: 26 Mar 2003