Russia’s Channel One to remake The Office

British comedy series The Office is to be remade in Russia after distributor BBC Worldwide inked a deal with leading network Channel One.

The broadcaster will make 24x30mins of the series, which originally starred Ricky Gervais as a hapless boss. Local production company Red Square will produce the series.

BBC Worldwide has sold a number of unscripted formats including Dancing with the Stars and Junior Mastermind to Russian broadcasters, but this is the first scripted format sale.

It follows a number of similar deals with broadcasters including Chile’s Canal 13. The Office has also been successfully remade in the United States with Steve Carrell as well as in France and Canada.