Felicity Ward announced as first ever female lead of The Office

The Office is coming Down Under!

Prime Video has announced the Australian remake of The Office will feature the series’ first-ever female lead. 

Australian writer and comedian, Felicity Ward, has been cast as the hopeless regional manager named Hannah Howard in the new adaptation. 

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The 42-year-old is best known for her performances in Thank God You’re Here, Any Questions for Ben and The Inbetweeners 2. 

The Prime Video synopsis reveals that the series will take place at a packaging company where staff members are sent to work from home. 

Ward will take on the coveted role as a “modern-day David Brent” in the Australian take on the iconic workplace sitcom.

The UK series, The Office, is a timeless classic as far as sitcoms go, filled with hilarious British humour and characters awkwardly making eye contact with the camera. 

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The series was co-created and co-written by British comedian, Ricky Gervais in 2001. 

Gervais starred as the inappropriate manager of Wernham Hogg paper company in the mockumentary sitcom series which aired for two seasons on BBC Two. 

The UK series also starred the likes of Martin Freeman, Mackenzie Crook and Lucy Davis. 

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Following the critical success of the sitcom, the US launched their adaptation in 2005 starring Steve Carrell in Gervais’ role as the bumbling and inappropriate manager of a paper company. 

The US series was also a smash hit amongst audiences, outlasting the original with nine seasons before concluding in 2013. 

It also helped launch the careers of actors John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson and Mindy Kaling amongst other cast members. 

Now, with the announcement of The Office Australia that is set to launch in 2024, the man who started it all has commented on news of the latest adaptation. 

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Gervais has revealed he is “very excited about Australia remaking my little show from the turn of the century.”

The new remake will undoubtedly put an Aussie humour spin on the classic mockumentary style that has made The Office so beloved amongst fans. 

The British comedian shared he is eager to see how the series will showcase how “office politics have changed a bit in 20 years”. 

The Australian version will be co-produced by BBC Studios, Bunya Entertainment and Amazon Studios and will be eight-episodes of fun, belly-laugh inducing television.

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Kylie Washington, general manager of BBC Studios ANZ has shared the decision behind casting the series’ first ever female lead. 

“We figured the world is ready for a lovable, flawed, lady boss, ruling over her packaging empire”, she disclosed. 

Edith Poor, Steen Raskopoulos, Shari Sebbens and Josh Thomson are also set to star in the Aussie remake. 

The Office Australia will commence filming in Sydney this June and will be coming in 2024 to Prime Video globally (excluding the U.S.) in more than 240 countries and territories with Prime Membership access.

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