Fox orders a pilot

America is to remake BBC Three’s prison sitcom Dead Boss.

The Fox network has commissioned a pilot episode of the series, created by Sharon Horgan and stand-up Holly Walsh.

Trade website Deadline says that it is a so-called ‘put pilot’ deal, which means the network will have to pay a substantial penalty if the episode does not make it to air – a move that is seen as showing strong faith in the idea.

The remake is being written by Patricia Breen, one of the executives on the Sky 1 import The Middle.

This is the fourth sitcom that Horgan has in development in the States. The ABC network is working on a version of Pulling, as well as Bad Management, about a self-centred boss of an upmarket store, and another comedy called Bad Mom, which has previously been piloted.

Horgan is known to US viewers for The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret, which airs on Fox.

Published: 10 Sep 2013