Iannucci reopens talks

Armando Iannucci has revived plans for an American version of The Thick of It.

He has renewed talks with premium cable network HBO following the release of the spin-off movie In The Loop, which is mostly set in Washington.

It would be the second attempt to make a Capitol Hill version of the satire, after a failed pilot for ABC two years ago, which Iannucci dismissed as ‘lousy’.

He told TV industry website BroadcastNow: ‘It was terrible because they took the idea and chucked out all the style. It was all conventionally shot and there was no improvisation or swearing. It didn't get picked up, thank god.’

‘I wanted to send it to HBO and they were very keen but the BBC sold it to ABC for more money – but ultimately for less money because it never got made. So I'm now talking to HBO about doing a political thing.’

He added that an American TV version might be set in the Treasury, rather than the State Department where In The Loop is based, and might not feature the same actors as the film.

He is currently working on eight new Thick Of It scripts for BBC4.

Published: 24 Apr 2009