One bit of news that seems to have slipped slightly under the radar is about an upcoming co-production between the BBC and the Jim Henson Company. No Strings Attached (a tentative title) is promising Muppets-style entertainment, complete with sketches featuring celebs and games. We first hinted at the news in March, but it looks like production has finally been given the green light.
Henson’s son Brian and daughter Lisa will be executive producing and handling all aspects of the puppets (created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop in LA) according to Cinema Blend and a BBC press release, with broadcaster and comedy writer Danny Baker as lead scribe. No Strings Attached will find guests “head to head in a series of unique games run by the cast of characters and take part in a variety of sketches, in what will be a warm, cheeky, family affair fuelled by a healthy dose of off-the-wall, madcap fun.”
Cinema Blend also reports that English writer Stephen Fry is attached to the filming of the pilot. In what manner, we’re not sure, but we like what we hear so far. Could this new series be The Muppet Show for a new generation? If the project is a smash (similar to last year’s big screen version), how long until we see a US version headed our way?