'It feels like a good time for a comedy about impending global apocalypse'

The BBC is to make a six-part comedy series based on Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s fantasy novel Good Omens.

First published in 1990, the book is a comedy about the birth of the son of Satan heralding the coming of the End Times.

The new series is a co-production with Amazon Prime and will premiere on the on-demand service next year, with a TV broadcast to follow later.

Gaiman, pictured, has written the script and will  also serve as showrunner. He said: ‘Almost 30 years ago Terry Pratchett and I wrote the funniest novel we could about the end of the world, populated with angels and demons, not to mention an 11 year-old Antichrist, witch-finders and the four horsepeople of the Apocalypse. It became many people's favourite book. 

‘Three decades later, it's going to make it to the screen. I can't think of anyone we'd rather make it with than BBC Studios, and I just wish Sir Terry was alive to see it.’

Chris Sussman, head of comedy, for BBC Studios and an executive producer on the project added: ‘Good Omens has always been one of my favourite books, and it’s hugely exciting not just to be able to bring it to life, but to do so with scripts from Neil Gaiman himself. It feels like a good time to be making a comedy about an impending global apocalypse.’

And Joe Lewis, head of Comedy and Drama at Amazon Studios, said: 'Spanning not only the universe but also the entirety of time, Neil Gaiman has created a story that may be the largest ever told on television.'

The BBC previously made a radio version of the novel in 2014, which starred Mark Heap, Peter Serafinowicz, Mark Benton, and, Josie Lawrence. Gaiman and Pratchett had cameo roles as a pair of traffic cops called Neil and Terry.

Published: 20 Jan 2017