Three UK comedy pilots for NBC

With the US pilot season well underway at the big four networks, the UK has a respectable presence with three contenders in the running for NBC – all of them comedies.

First up is Universal TV division Reveille's remake of Coupling, the Montreux Silver Rose-winning sitcom originally produced by UK indie Hartswood Films for the BBC.

Reveille boss Ben Silverman is sharing exec producer duties with Hartswood's boss, UK comedy veteran Beryl Vertue, as well as daughter Sue Vertue and the BBC show's writer Steven Moffat. Moffat is co-scripting the NBC pilot with Phoef Sutton.

UK indie Hat Trick Productions is also in the race, coproducing a US version of its BBC reality-comedy chatshow, The Kumars at No 42. Swapping the Indian flavour for a Hispanic twist, the NBC version is renamed The Ortegas.

Hat Trick bosses Jimmy Mulville and Denise O'Donoghue are exec producing alongside Wally Wolodarsky and Gavin Polone, execs from Pariah Television and NBC Studios.

After a bidding war between NBC and Fox last year, Hat Trick's deal with NBC includes a $1.25m penalty if the network decides against picking up the pilot, plus a guaranteed Tuesday or Thursday night slot for a 12×30' series.

Hat Trick's previous record in producing for US networks includes four years of reversioning its improv show Whose Line is it Anyway? for ABC.

Finally, the LA arm of UK-based 19 Television has a pilot in with NBC for an updated version of 1960s reality-comedy The Monkees. Being coproduced with NBC Studios, the new show will follows the antics of a boy pop combo who all live together.

Meanwhile, Reveille is down to pilot a US version of BBC mocusoap The Office for an as-yet unknown network.