Fox Entertainment has commissioned a United States adaptation of the BBC Two sitcom Mammoth, the network announced on Thursday, securing a prime slot for the project in its 2027/28 schedule. The original series, created by Welsh comedian Mike Bubbins, will be reimagined for American audiences with production led by Fox Entertainment Studios and BBC Studios' Los Angeles arm.
From Welsh high school comedy to US network series
The UK original follows a high school gym teacher who is trapped by an avalanche and emerges four decades later; it was created and led on screen by Mike Bubbins and has run on BBC Two since 2021, reaching seven seasons to date. Fox will adapt the premise for an American setting, though cast details and the principal creative team for the on-screen roles have not yet been disclosed.
Executive producers on the US take include Christopher Lloyd and Danny Zuker, the pair best known for their long-running work on Modern Family. BBC Studios Los Angeles will executive produce alongside Fox Entertainment Studios, and distribution outside North America will be handled by Fox Entertainment Global.
What the deal means
The move underscores the continuing appetite in the US for UK-originated formats and comedy concepts. While British shows have long been adapted for American television, the success of such remakes is mixed; positioning Mammoth on a major broadcast network like Fox suggests confidence in the story’s broad appeal and in the involvement of seasoned sitcom showrunners.
- Original creator: Mike Bubbins (also star of the UK series)
- UK run: On BBC Two from 2021, seven seasons
- US producers: Fox Entertainment Studios with BBC Studios Los Angeles
- Executive producers: Christopher Lloyd and Danny Zuker
- Distribution: Fox Entertainment Global (international)
- Broadcast window: Scheduled for the 2027/28 season on Fox
Neither Fox nor BBC Studios has revealed casting choices or whether the American adaptation will retain the original’s specific premise beats or broaden the concept to suit a different audience. The attaching of Lloyd and Zuker—who have a track record on mainstream US comedy—signals a creative direction shaped by experienced network comedy hands.
Context and consequences
For UK television, sales and adaptations of homegrown formats remain a vital revenue and prestige stream. BBC Studios, which handles international formats and co-productions, has been active in brokered deals that rework British comedy concepts for global markets. Fox’s pick-up of Mammoth adds to a steady flow of British-origin shows being translated into American television currency.
The success of the adaptation will be measured both by ratings on its home network and by how it is received critically in comparison with the original. Adaptations must balance fidelity—retaining the essence that made a show distinctive—with localisation choices that connect with a different cultural sensibility. With a scheduled debut two seasons away, there is time for casting and writers to shape a version that aims to satisfy both.
| Series | Origin | US status |
|---|---|---|
| Mammoth | Created by Mike Bubbins; BBC Two (since 2021), seven seasons | Ordered by Fox for 2027/28; produced by Fox Entertainment Studios with BBC Studios Los Angeles |
Further announcements—casting, writers’ room appointments and an exact premiere date—are expected to follow as development progresses. For now, the greenlight represents another example of British comedic ideas finding fresh avenues on the global television market, carried this time by a US broadcast network with major distribution reach.
