People Just Do Nothing set for the US

People Just do Nothing has been picked up by Vice’s TV channel in the US, and the prodco behind the show has told TBI it is working up an American version of the British comedy.

Viceland, Vice’s linear cable net, picked up People Just Do Nothing for its 2017 line-up, marking the first time it has acquired a UK comedy for the US.

The series follows a group of friends running a pirate radio station, Kurupt FM, and trying to make it as garage music DJs and MCs. The show has been a hit for BBC Three and its producer, UK indie Roughcut TV, is now looking at taking it into the US.

“There are a couple of our shows I think lend themselves to a US format,” Roughcut founder Ash Atalla (left) told TBI. “We want another go at Cuckoo [which has been piloted for NBC], and we’re also interested in People Just Do Nothing.

“People might say it is one of the more English shows we make, but I think there is an American version [that’s possible], and we’re doing some work on how that might look.”

The UK series is based in the estates of Brentford, a working-class west London suburb. A US version, meanwhile, could end up set near Las Vegas.

“We have looked at outskirts of Las Vegas,” Atalla says. “Like Brentford you can see the city, but not reach it. From the outskirts of Las Vegas you can see the shiny lights, but you can’t get there, which is a metaphor for the show.”

The finished UK People Just Do Nothing will bow on Viceland in February in a 10.30pm slot. FremantleMedia International distributes the show and struck the deal.

Viceland announced its UK comedy pick-up as part of several 2017 programming announcements. It also has Viceland UK factual series Hate Thy Neighbour, in which comedian Jamali Maddix examines racism, and US indie doc series Rise, about indigenous protest groups, and hails from the Vice Studio in Canada.

Comedy series Nirvanna The Band Show, about a wannabe rock band, is also in the 2017 line-up. Existing Viceland series Noisey, a travelogue, and food show F*ck, That’s Delicious will also comeback on the channel in 2017.