Fox Developing U.S. Version of Absolutely Fabulous

Fox is developing a stateside version of Jennifer Saunders' enduring British comedy Absolutely Fabulous.

According to Variety, Christine Zander (Saturday Night Live) is set to write the script and will exec produce along with the BBC's Ian Moffet and original series creator Saunders. Fox has given Sony a script order with hefty penalty attached.

The new version of Absolutely Fabulous will be transplanted to L.A. but retain the basic template of the original, revolving around the friendship of two boozy, over-40 best friends who are desperate to stay hip and youthful and who carry on under the disapproving eye of Edina's teenage daughter, Saffy.

More than a decade ago, Roseanne Barr worked on developing a U.S. version of the show with Carrie Fisher for ABC. CBS' 1995-98 Cybill Shepherd comedy Cybill had an "Ab Fab" flavor to it. Another short-lived 1995 sitcom, CBS' High Society, starring Jean Smart and Mary McDonnell, was a thinly veiled imitation.