Send in the Clones...

BBC Three orders new sitcom

BBC Three has commissioned a new sitcom about a human clone, to be scripted by a US-style writing team.

Clone begins with a scientist unveiling the first human clone. Intended to be a prototype super soldier, the killing machine turns out to be delicate and naive.

A BBC spokesman said: ‘Clone is a classic “fish out of water” comedy revolving around the education of an innocent being who is seeing and experiencing our world for the first time. It could also be described as a buddy comedy about a modern Dr Frankenstein and his monster.’

Creator Adam Chase, who was a writer and executive producer on Friends, has been recruited from America to oversee the show.

he BBC previously used team writers to ratings, if not critical, success after bringing over Seinfeld executive producer Fred Barron to head the team writing My Family and After You’ve Gone for BBC One.

The new six-part series, which will air later this year, is the first commission from Roughcut TV, the independent production company headed by The Office producer Ash Atalla, pictured.

He said: ‘It's a pleasure for Roughcut TV to be working with someone of Adam's calibre. This gets us off to a great start and we are very excited to be working with BBC Three.’

BBC Three controller Danny Cohen added: ‘I'm thrilled that Adam Chase has come over from Hollywood to work with BBC Three - and it's great to be working with Ash and Roughcut.

‘It's also really exciting to be experimenting with the team-writing model on Three: an approach we tend to use less frequently in British comedy.’

Published: 27 Mar 2008

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