List of American television series based on British television series


Many successful British television shows have been remade for the American market. The amount of reworking varies with some shows keeping the basic situation and then adding many original features while others have taken complete scripts verbatim.
There are relatively few examples of American shows remade for the British market, and the British television audience are very accepting of the American originals while being much less accepting of British remakes. The U.S. remakes have sometimes been imported back into the UK. By contrast, original British programmes are rarely seen on the major U.S. networks in modern times and are usually broadcast only on the Public Broadcasting Service and on cable television, especially BBC America, with only a few purely British shows having gained mainstream popularity in the United States. This list includes a number of pilots not subsequently made into series.
UK originalU.S. remakeNotes
The 1900 HouseFrontier HouseReality. Frontier House broadcast in the UK on Channel 4.
Absolutely FabulousAbFabTwo pilots attempts, one by Roseanne Barr, another by Jennifer Saunders. Both were passed over.
AgonyThe Lucie Arnaz Show
AirlineAirlineBritish version renamed Airline UK in the U.S.
Da Ali G ShowDa Ali G ShowThe second series by Channel 4 in the UK and HBO in the U.S.
Till Death Us Do PartAll in the Family
Ant & Dec's Gameshow MarathonGameshow MarathonGame show.
Antiques RoadshowAntiques RoadshowReality.
Are You Being Served?Beane's of BostonComedy. Un-aired pilot.
As IfAs IfU.S. remake canceled after two episodes on UPN.
Bad EducationAn American EducationUnaired pilot for ABC.
Balls of Steel Balls of Steel
BallykissangelHope Island
Being HumanBeing HumanSciFi drama on SyFy.
BenidormThe Big PackageYet to air as of 2020.
Big Star's Little StarBig Star Little Star
Birds of a FeatherStand by Your Man
BlackpoolViva Laughlin!U.S. remake canceled after two episodes.
Brat CampBrat Camp USA
BroadchurchGracepointCrime drama. Cancelled by FOX after one season.
Cash CabCash CabGame show. Aired on Discovery Channel.
Cash in the AtticCash in the AtticReality.
'CD USA
Celebrity Fit ClubCelebrity Fit ClubReality competition. Both versions featured Former US Marine Harvey Walden IV as a judge, but the other judges are changed often.
Changing RoomsTrading SpacesReality.
The ChaseThe ChaseGame show. U.S. version only uses one Chaser, Mark Labbett, who was brought over from the UK to participate.
Cold FeetCold Feet
CrackerCrackerU.S. remake is known as Fitz in the UK.
CouplingCouplingComedy. U.S. remake was canceled after four episodes.
CuckooCuckooSitcom. NBC ordered a pilot in 2013.
Dad's ArmyThe Rear GuardPilot episode only.
Dancing on IceSkating with CelebritiesReality.
Dear JohnDear JohnKnown as Dear John USA in the UK.
DistractionDistractionGame show. Same host.
Dog Eat DogDog Eat DogGame show. U.S. version hosted by Brooke Burns.
Don't Forget Your ToothbrushDon't Forget Your ToothbrushGame show. U.S. edition aired on Comedy Central and was hosted by actor Mark Curry.
Eleventh HourEleventh HourDrama..
Ex on the BeachEx on the BeachReality.
Faking ItFaking ItReality game show.
The Fall and Rise of Reginald PerrinReggie
Farmer Wants a WifeFarmer Wants a Wife
Fawlty TowersChateau SnavelyComedy. Pilot episode only with Harvey Korman & Betty White.
Fawlty TowersAmanda'sStarring Beatrice Arthur.
Fawlty TowersPayneStarring John Larroquette.
For the Love of AdaA Touch of GraceAmerican sitcom starring Shirley Booth.
Footballers' WivesFootball WivesDrama. Confirmed pilot.
Four WeddingsFour WeddingsReality, British original is known as Four Weddings UK.
Free AgentsFree AgentsComedy starring Hank Azaria. U.S. remake cancelled after four episodes.
Friday Night DinnerFriday Night DinnerPilot only for NBC.
Gavin & StaceyUs & ThemComedy. Unaired seven episode order for Fox.
George and MildredThe RopersComedy.
Getting OnGetting OnSitcom. After a successful pilot episode, HBO ordered a 6-episode run in 2013, with a second season to air in 2014.
GoggleboxThe People's CouchObservational documentary picked up by Bravo. First aired in 2013.
The GrimleysThe Grubbs
Hell's KitchenHell's KitchenReality competition. American version broadcast in the UK as Hell's Kitchen USA on ITV2. Gordon Ramsay appears in both series.
Hit Me Baby One More TimeHit Me Baby One More TimeSame host, both ITV productions.
Holding the BabyHolding the Baby
Home to RoostYou Again?
Honey, We're Killing the KidsHoney We're Killing the Kids
House of CardsHouse of CardsSame premise, though British version was a short series
How Clean Is Your House?Kim and Aggie Clean Up America
HuntedHunted
I'd Do AnythingI'd Do AnythingGeorge Gray hosted U.S. version on ESPN, his third U.S. version of a British show.
I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!Reality.
The InbetweenersThe InbetweenersComedy. Cancelled after one series.
The IT CrowdThe IT CrowdPilot canceled in 2008.
It's Me or the DogIt's Me or the Dog
The Jeremy Kyle ShowThe Jeremy Kyle ShowChat show. U.S. version ended in 2013 after two seasons.
Just for Laughs'U.S. version was a repackaged version of the Canadian version.
Keep it in the FamilyToo Close for ComfortFinal season of U.S. version initially aired as The Ted Knight Show.
The Krypton FactorThe Krypton Factor
Life on MarsLife on MarsSciFi drama.
Little BritainLittle Britain USAComedy. A full series was made and gained popularity after various repeats. HBO ordered more, but makers and stars David Walliams and Matt Lucas declined.
Love IslandLove IslandReality.
Love Thy NeighbourLove Thy Neighbor
Man About the HouseThree's CompanyComedy.
MasterChefMasterChefReality.
Max HeadroomMax HeadroomSciFi.
Men Behaving BadlyMen Behaving BadlyComedy series. Aired for two seasons on NBC.
The Million Pound Drop LiveMillion Dollar Money DropGame show. The U.S. remake was cancelled in 2011.
The Million Pound Hoax$25 Million Dollar Hoax
Mind Your LanguageWhat a Country!
MistressesMistressesDrama series.
Mr. Men and Little MissThe Mr. Men Show
Never Mind the BuzzcocksNever Mind The Buzzcocks
Not the Nine O'Clock NewsNot Necessarily the NewsThe Daily Show, especially in its earlier incarnation under Craig Kilborn, also owes a great deal to this show.
The OfficeThe OfficeComedy. U.S. version is broadcast in the UK as The Office: An American Workplace, The Office USA, or The US Office.
On the BusesLotsa Luck
One Foot in the GraveCosbyMany differences.
OutnumberedOutnumberedPicked up by Fox.
Pop IdolAmerican IdolReality competition. UK judge Simon Cowell was also a judge on American Idol.
PorridgeOn the Rocks
Prime SuspectPrime SuspectStarted on NBC on September 22, 2011.
PullingPullingPilot with creative input from Sharon Horgan.
Pyjama PartyPajama PartySame presenter.
Queer as FolkQueer as FolkDrama.
Ramsay's Kitchen NightmaresKitchen NightmaresReality. Both versions feature Gordon Ramsay as host. U.S. version broadcast in the UK on Channel 4 as Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares USA.
Red DwarfRed Dwarf USATwo un-aired pilots. The second pilot is titled Red Dwarf USA.
Robin's NestThree's a CrowdComedy.
Robot WarsRobot Wars: Extreme Warriors
Nickelodeon Robot Wars		Robot Wars: Extreme Warriors was filmed alongside the UK show in 2001 and 2002.
Scrapheap ChallengeJunkyard WarsScrapheap and Junkyard have gone head-to-head in transatlantic challenges in the UK.
The Secret MillionaireSecret Millionaire
ShamelessShamelessU.S. version starring William H. Macy.
SirensSirensComedy drama. Cancelled after two seasons by The USA Network.
The Sketch ShowThe Sketch ShowU.S. version featured Kelsey Grammer.
SkinsSkinsRan for one season only in 2011. UK version shown on BBC America.
SpacedSpacedOnly a pilot episode was made.
Spitting ImageD.C. FolliesLoose adaptation.
SpotlessKeep It SpotlessCompetition.
SpySpySituation comedy. ABC ordered a remake in 2013.
Steptoe and SonSanford and SonComedy. Relied on race as well as class.
Strictly Come DancingDancing with the StarsReality competition. UK judges Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli are also judges on Dancing with the Stars.
SupernannySupernannyReality. British episodes shown along with U.S. episodes. Same host.
TaskmasterTaskmaster
TeachersTeachersCanceled after six episodes.
That Was the Week That WasThat Was The Week That WasSatire. Both versions hosted by David Frost.
The Thick of ItThe Thick of ItUnaired pilot made for ABC.
The Thick of ItVeepHBO series produced by Armando Iannucci and the same team of writers as the British version.
This LifeFirst Years
Till Death Us Do PartAll in the FamilyComedy. Coincidentally, the All in the Family spinoff Maude was remade in the UK as Nobody's Perfect, and the Maude spinoff Good Times was remade as The Fosters. None of the UK series were connected to each other or to Till Death Us Do Part.
Top GearTop GearReality. Similar format to the 2002 version, was cancelled in 2008 without a single episode being broadcast. Both are BBC productions. A second pilot was made in 2010 with two of the three hosts replaced and was picked up for ten-episode run on the History Channel.
Top of the PopsTop of the PopsSometimes aired performances recorded by its BBC counterpart. Aired as part of CBS Late Night.
Touching EvilTouching EvilDrama.
Trigger Happy TVTrigger Happy TVDom Joly appears in both versions of the show, despite the U.S. version having a mostly new cast — Joly was the only on screen star in the UK Version. The American version is known as Trigger Happy USA when aired in the UK.
Trisha GoddardTrisha GoddardChat show. U.S. version ended in 2014 after two seasons.
Two's CompanyThe Two of UsComedy.
Undercover BossUndercover BossReality.
Upstairs, DownstairsBeacon HillDrama.
UtopiaUtopia
The Vicar of DibleyThe Minister Of DivineComedy. Pilot episode only.
The Weakest LinkWeakest LinkGame show. Anne Robinson hosted both the UK version and the original U.S. prime time series. Subsequent U.S. syndicated series hosted by George Gray.
What Not to WearWhat Not to WearReality.
White Van ManFamily ToolsComedy sitcom. Picked up by ABC for a full series in 2012.
Who Do You Think You Are?Who Do You Think You Are?
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?Who Wants to Be a MillionaireGame show. U.S. edition adopted new format in 2010.
Whose Line Is It Anyway?Whose Line Is It Anyway?Improvisational sketch comedy. Both used panelists Wayne Brady, Ryan Stiles and Colin Mochrie, among others. Last episodes of UK version were produced in the U.S.
Wife SwapWife Swap
Trading Spouses 		Reality.
Wild at HeartLife Is WildU.S. version cancelled after thirteen episodes.
The World's Strictest ParentsThe World's Strictest Parents
The Worst Week of My LifeWorst WeekComedy.
The X FactorThe X FactorReality competition. Same executive producer/judge and production company. Cheryl Cole was also a judge on the U.S. version but was dropped following the audition stage. US edition cancelled after three seasons.
The Young OnesOh No Not THEM!Unsuccessful pilot; Nigel Planer was the only cast member from the original.
The Young Person's Guide to Becoming a Rock StarMy Guide to Becoming a Rock Star

Footnotes