Comic to star in ABC remake

Jack Whitehall is set to star in an American remake of his BBC Three comedy Bad Education.

The ABC network has ordered a pilot episode of the show, which will be renamed An American Education.

Whitehall will play the same character, Alfie Wickers, but transplanted from the UK into the San Diego school system.

The scripts will be rewritten by Peter Huyck and Alex Gregory, whose credits include The Larry Sanders Show and Frasier, based on Whitehall's story. Tiger Aspect's Ben Cavey, who produced the original series, is also on board.

Production is due to start in January in Los Angeles.

The original series was the highest-rated comedy debut for BBC Three when it launched in 2012, although the record is now held by Cuckoo. A Christmas special is set to air this December.

The news of hit school-based British sitcom being remade by Hollywood echoes the plot of the Matt Le Blanc comedy Episodes.

• Both Jack Whitehall and his Bad Education co-writer Freddy Syborn are taking part in the Chortle Comedy Book Festival later this month.

Published: 9 Nov 2013