A new Australian version of 'The Office' is set to premiere this October, with Felicity Ward taking on the lead role of Hannah Howard. The series, which will debut on Prime Video, has received the approval of the original show's creator, Ricky Gervais, who is reportedly excited about the shift to a female-led narrative. Ward revealed that she did not prepare for the role, as she felt the character's personality aligned perfectly with her own.
At a recent event, Ward joked about the anticipation surrounding the show's release, saying she is 'pretty chill' about the upcoming premiere in Australia and the UK on October 18. She plays Howard, the manager of a Sydney-based box company called Flinley Craddick, stepping into the shoes of the bumbling office boss originally portrayed by Gervais and later by Steve Carrell in the American version.
Ward explained that her lack of preparation was due to the script's uncanny reflection of her own personality traits. She humorously suggested that showrunner Julie De Fina might have based the character on Ward's own persona, stripping away the charm and focusing on the more annoying aspects. The new 'The Office' will be available in Australia and the UK on Prime Video on October 18, though its availability in the United States remains uncertain.
This Australian adaptation is just one of many international versions of the series, which has previously been remade in countries such as Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Czechia, India, Israel, Poland, Saudi Arabia, and Sweden. Gervais, who holds the rights to 'The Office,' has profited handsomely from the show's global success.
In other news, Peacock has greenlit 'The Paper,' a follow-up series to 'The Office,' featuring Domhnall Gleeson and Sabrina Impacciatore in leading roles. However, a release date for this series has not yet been announced.
