...from The Cosby Show's producer

The BBC has commissioned a new family sitcom starring Two Pints of Lager… actor Will Mellor.

Meet The Doyles is loosely based on a US sitcom Grounded For Life, which ran for five series and was notable for its heavy use of flashbacks.

The UK version series follows Liam and Caroline, parents who had their children at 17 and are now in their early 30s. Niky Wardley, whose credits include playing Lauren Cooper's best friend Lisa Jackson in The Catherine Tate Show, will play the wife, while Warren Clarke plays Liam’s dad.

The new show is being made by Caryn Mandabach, who previously produced Roseanne and the Cosby Show. She signed a development deal with the BBC as long ago as 2005.

Set in Manchester, the seven-part series will be filmed from this week, for broadcast in 2011.

Published: 2 Nov 2010