UK comedy hits head to the States

First they took The Office, now the Americans are back to plunder more comedy hits from the British.

The NBC network, buoyed by its success remaking Ricky Gervais's show, have signed a deal with Steve Coogan's production company, Baby Cow, which could see the likes of Saxondale and The Mighty Boosh remade for the US.

And it gives the broadcaster first dibs on any more shows the company plans in the next two years. The first programme to be produced under the deal will be called Ben, about the richest man in the world.

In a separate deal, Baby Cow is already working on a pilot version of Nighty Night for US cable network Showtime.

And in other transatlantic telly news, Channel 4's spoof horror show Garth Marenghi's Darkplace has been sold to the Sci-Fi Channel which will be airing it from July 27, after premiering it on its broadband channel from this Thursday.