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NBC orders True Story adaptation

A major win for Hamish & Andy with a US network to remake comedy series.

Stellar news for Hamish & Andy with NBC announcing a US adaptation of their True Story format.

Ed Helms (The Office, The Hangover) and Randall Park (Fresh Off the Boat, Always Be My Maybe) will host the series in which actors recreate bizarre true stories related by everyday Americans.

Each hour-long episode will feature two real-life stories.

 

“I can’t wait to bring True Story to American audiences with my buddy, Randall Park,” Helms said. “It’s an incredibly warm, hilarious and kind-spirited show that celebrates the lost art of laughing at ourselves … with a little help from epic reenactments.”

“I’m so excited to be a part of a show that combines three of my favourite things: great stories from real people, my pal Ed Helms, and couches,” Park said.

True Story is the perfect combination of heart, humour and ingenuity that has become synonymous with the NBC Alternative brand,” said Meredith Ahr, President, Alternative and Reality Group, NBC Entertainment. “We believe that truth can be stranger (and funnier!) than fiction, and Ed and Randall are the ultimate duo to help real people bring their incredible stories to life.”

Landing a network deal for Radio Karate is a major win and reverses earlier discussions with US execs.

In 2018 Andy Lee told TV Tonight, “‘Hero-ing’ the everyday person and the idea that you don’t have to be famous to have your own bio-pic is something that was really resonating here. But the United States doesn’t buy into that a lot.”

“They buy into how it sounds,” agreed Hamish Blake. “They were saying ‘Yeah cool. But in reality we cast the people? You don’t really let normal people be on TV! We’ll put that in the marketing, but obviously we’ll get actors!’

“The fact that it was really real, and not marketing-real, was possibly an element that surprised them!”

True Story is executive produced by Tim Bartley, Hamish Blake, Andy Lee, Ryan Shelton, Ed Helms, Mike Falbo and Nicolle Yaron, who will also serve as showrunner. The series is produced by Warner Horizon in association with Pacific Electric Picture Co. and Universal Television Alternative Studio.

4 Responses

  1. I recall reading Nine inked/renewed/re-negotiated a long-term output with NBC-U a few months ago, broadcast and BVOD, is this a sign of a close relationship/talks between executives? Or just a pure coincidence?

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