Starz making US Peep Show

Cable net Starz is working up a version of Peep Show, the latest attempt at remaking the British comedy series for the US.

All3Media’s UK prodco Objective made the original series, which ran to nine seasons on Channel 4.

Objective’s US arm will make the Starz series, and Peep Show creators Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong will be consulting producers. Eli Jorne (Wilfred) will be the showrunner.

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

“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,” Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong said jointly.

Earlier attempts to format the series for the US failed. Viacom cable net Spike piloted a version, which was produced by a division of RDF in 2008, but it was never taken to series.

Prior to that, Fox had a version in development with Johnny Galecki (Big Bang Theory). The finished UK version, which is distributed by All3Media, has gone out on BBC America in the US.

Bain and Armstrong, meanwhile, are developing a new comedy for Channel 4, while one of the show’s stars, Matt King, has gone on to work in development for Australian prodco CordelljigsawZapruder.