ABC orders pilot episode

Hollywood’s raid on British sitcoms has reached the most successful of them all – Only Fools And Horses.

The ABC network has announced that it is remaking the Peckham-set comedy for American audiences.

A pilot episode is in the pipeline, written by Steven Cragg and Brian Bradley – who have previously scripted a couple of episodes of Scrubs.

The plot is described as ‘the misadventures of two streetwise brothers and their aging grandfather as they concoct outrageous, morally questionable get-rich-quick schemes in a bid to become millionaires’.

The pilot commission comes just days after ABC also announced it was remaking BBC Three comedy White Van Man; while NBC is piloting its own version of Channel 4’s Friday Night Dinner.

In 2010, The Office’s Steve Carell said he wanted to remake Only Fools, saying: ‘That is my dream role.

He added: The British do sitcoms better than anybody else in the world. I think with the right scriptwriters and cast we could do Only Fools And Horses justice. If anybody wants to help me do a remake I’d love it.’

Published: 28 Jan 2012