Fox has picked up a pilot for a US version of cult comedy Absolutely Fabulous, the Jennifer Saunders creation which ran for five series plus specials on the BBC, but has to date defied attempts to rehash it for the transatlantic market.

Saunders has an executive producing role for the pilot, which is a joint venture between Sony Pictures TV, BBC Worldwide Productions and Tantamount, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The script was penned by Christine Zander, whose previous credits include episodes of 3rd Rock from the Sun and work on Saturday Night Live, and who's relocated Eddy and Patsy to Los Angeles.

The paper does not have details as to when US audiences will get to enjoy, or otherwise, the stateside Ab Fab. ®

Related stories

• Mrs Slocombe's pussy vanishes from Twitter (2 July 2009)
• CGI Thunderbirds sadly not go (24 June 2009)
• Shane Ritchie poised to 'reinvent' Minder (14 January 2009)
• Harvey Keitel to experience Life on Mars (6 October 2008)
• Mel Gibson to star in Edge of Darkness (29 April 2008)