Starz puts series into development

Peep Show is set to make a comeback – in America.

A new attempt to make a US version of the long-running comedy is  close to taking off, after Starz put a series into development.

Creators Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong will be consulting producers on the new version,  but with a new writer, Eli Jorne, penning the pilot and  serving as showrunner.

He said he was ‘grateful to Sam and Jesse for entrusting me with nine seasons' worth of insightful, darkly hilarious material that I can hopefully pass off to American audiences as my own’.

And in a statement, Bain and Armstrong added: ‘We are hugely relieved to hand over the responsibility of coming up with the dark and twisted thoughts of two terrible men to the extremely funny, dark and twisted Eli Jorne.’ 

It is not the first time an American broadcaster has attempted to adapt the acclaimed comedy. Fox made a pilot in 2005, which starred Big Bang Theory‘s Johnny Calecki, and the Spike channel had another go in in 2008.

Starz managing director Carmi Zlotnik said: ‘Peep Show gives a unique spin to relationship comedy – it’s a great opportunity for Starz to innovate in the half-hour space.’

Jorne was previously  co-showrunner on the new Fox comedy series Son of Zorn and on FX’s Wilfred.

Channel 4 aired the last episode of Peep Show last autumn, after a 12-year run.

Published: 27 Jul 2016