An Australian version of the classic sitcom “The office‘ is in progress at Prime video but with a gender-reversed main character. Comedian and actress Felicity Ward will headline the Australian show, a co-production between Prime Video, BBC Studios Australia and New Zealand and Bunya Entertainment. The Office premiered in the UK with an actor Ricky Gervais stars as David Brent, the manager of the Slough branch of the fictional Wernham Hogg paper company. It ran for two seasons from 2001 to 2003.
The American version of the sitcom with an actor Steve Carrell as Michael Scott, became much more popular during its sequel NBC from 2005 to 2013. In the Australian version, Ward will play the role of Hannah Howard, the CEO of packaging company Flinley Craddick.
“When she receives word from head office that her branch is closing and everyone has to work from home, she goes into survival mode and makes promises she can’t keep to keep her ‘work family’ together. Flinley Craddick’s staff spoils her and endures Hannah’s outlandish schemes as they work toward the impossible goals they’ve been given.”
Gervais, co-creator, co-writer and star of The Office, said he was excited about Australia’s reimagining of the sitcom. “Office politics have changed a bit in 20 years, so I can’t wait to see how they cope with a modern day David Brent,” he added.
The Australian version will be the 13th adaptation of the series, following similar shows in France, Canada, Chile, Israel, India, the Middle East and Poland. Production on the eight-part Australian Amazon Original series will begin later this month in Sydney and will take eight weeks to shoot. The show will also star Edith Poor, Steen Raskopoulos, Shari Sebbens, Josh Thomson, Jonny Brugh, Pallavi Sharda, Susan Ling Young, Raj Labade, Lucy Schmit and Firass Dirani.
