The Office is getting a post-COVID remake – in Australia with a feminine lead

The Office is coming to Australia in a brand new adaptation for Prime Video, starring its first-ever feminine lead.

Australian comic and actor Felicity Ward shall be taking up the middle-manager function originated by Ricky Gervais.

The Australian rendition will star Ward as Hannah Howard, the managing director of packaging firm Flinley Craddick.

Prime Video mentioned the story follows Howard in a post-COVID plot twist when she will get information from head workplace that her department shall be shutting down and that employees must work at home.

The character, Howard, then goes into survival mode and launches outlandish plots with a view to maintain her “work family” collectively.

“The staff of Flinley Craddick indulge her and must endure Howard’s outlandish plots as they work toward the impossible targets that have been set for them,” Prime Video mentioned in a press launch.

The filming of the eight-part sequence will start in Sydney in June. It shall be co-produced by Amazon Studios, BBC Studios ANZ and Bunya Entertainment.

The sequence may even star Edith Poor, Steen Raskopoulos, Shari Sebbens and Josh Thomson.

‘A contemporary-day David Brent’

The new tackle the present would be the thirteenth adaptation of The Office, because the comedy sequence has been remade in international locations together with India, Israel, Canada, Chile, France and Poland.

The best-known and most profitable tackle the unique UK sequence starring Ricky Gervais is the US model of The Office, starring Steve Carell, which ran for 9 seasons.

Gervais and Stephen Merchant created the unique British present, which ran for 2 sequence to nice acclaim from 2001 till 2003.

In an announcement that accompanied the announcement of the Australian adaptation, Gervais mentioned: “I’m very enthusiastic about Australia remaking my little present from the flip of the century.

“Office politics have changed a bit in 20 years, so can’t wait to see how they navigate a modern-day David Brent.”

Sarah Christie, senior improvement government of Prime Video Australia, mentioned: “We are thrilled to be bringing one of the biggest comedy franchises ever made to Prime Video customers in Australia and around the world.

“It is an honour to proceed the worldwide comedy legacy of The Office domestically whereas introducing new, quintessentially Australian characters.

“We can’t wait for audiences to meet Hannah Howard, the first female boss The Office format has explored.”

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Who is Felicity Ward?

Felicity Ward was born in Sydney, Australia, in 1980 and is a comic and author.

She’s finest recognized for her TV appearances on Thank God You’re Here, Good News Week and Spicks and Specks.

The comic has additionally hosted The Comedy Hour on Radio ABC Melbourne.

At the 2008 Melbourne Fringe Festival, Ward carried out her debut full-length solo stand-up present, “Felicity Ward’s Ugly as A Child Variety Show”.

The 42-year-old has additionally shared her pleasure with followers in an Instagram publish after The Office announcement.

She mentioned: “ooft. here we go then. Yep, I’m playing the lead in the Australian version of #theoffice. OMFG. absolutely cannot believe it.”

Ward was met with help from fellow comics and followers.

One social media consumer mentioned: “Genius casting. Genius Felicity. Can’t freaking wait.”

Another mentioned: “Congrats! No better person for the job.”

The Office Australia will solely launch in 2024 on Prime Video globally in additional than 240 international locations (excluding the US).