American sitcom 'perfect for UK'

ITV has started work on a British remake of Nineties American comedy Dharma & Greg.

The sitcom, about a rich lawyer from a well-to-do family who marries a hippy girl after just one date, ran for five series on the ABC network from 1998.

The remake goes against the tide of British shows being remade for American audiences, and comes under a new deal between ITV and 20th Century Fox TV to develop new versions of each other’s programmes.

Lee Bartlett, ITV’s managing director for global content, said Dharma & Greg was perfect for UK audiences because the class differences between the two main characters' families was a common theme Britain.

He added that ITV was likely to take existing scripts from the hugely successful US series, but rewrite them to reflect British sensibilities.

The original episodes were shown on ITV at the time, originally in a prime 10.30pm Friday–night slot, but gradually slipping later in the schedules until they were airing at midnight on Thursdays.

Bartlett – who used to work for Fox before moving to ITV – told Hollywood trade journal Variety that the new pact ‘presents tremendous opportunities for a trans-Atlantic cross-fertilization of ideas and talent’.

The deal also includes a joint development fund to create new programming for the international market.

Fox’s Dana Walden said: ‘[ITV] will introduce us to and nurture relationships with great writers and directors in the UK.’

The US production house has not yet identified any ITV shows to translate for American audiences.

Here is the opening scene of the original series:

Published: 19 Jun 2008