Chris O’Dowd is to star in a new BBC/HBO comedy series which will air on both sides of the Atlantic next Spring.
Family Tree follows the world and journey of 30-year-old Tom Chadwick (O’Dowd). Having recently lost his job and girlfriend, Tom has a rather unsure sense of his own identity.
But when he inherits a mysterious box of belongings from a great aunt that he never met, he starts investigating his family lineage and uncovers a whole world of unusual stories and characters and a growing sense of who he is and who his real family are.
The eight-part series is co-written and co-created by Christopher Guest (Best In Show, Waiting For Guffman, This Is Spinal Tap) and Jim Piddock (Best In Show, Too Much Sun, Independence Day) and is currently in production in the UK.
Directed by Guest, the series will film on location in the UK and Los Angeles until early 2013 and will air on BBC Two and HBO in Spring 2013.
O’Dowd will be joined by Nina Conti (For Your Consideration, Her Master’s Voice) in the role of his sister Bea, and Tom Bennett (The Hunt For Tony Blair, Phoneshop) as best friend Pete.
Also appearing are Ed Begley Jr., Maria Blasucci, Matt Griesser, Don Lake, Michael McKean, Lisa Palfrey, Amy Seimetz and Fred Willard, as well as co-writers/co-creators Christopher Guest and Jim Piddock.
Janice Hadlow, Controller, BBC Two, says: “I am delighted to welcome Christopher Guest to BBC Television. It will be his first television series for British audiences and one I am proud to have here on the BBC.
“It has a stellar cast led by the fantastic Chris O’Dowd and is an exciting collaboration with NBCU International and HBO. Family Tree will form a key part of the channel’s comedy next year.”
