Multi-Emmy winning actor Will Arnett (Arrested Development, BoJack Horseman) joins a new series entitled The First Team. The BBC Two comedy comes from the writer duo Iain Morris and Damon Beesley, who also worked on the famous British coming-of-age sitcom, The Inbetweeners and its two spinoff films.
“We’re so lucky to be working with such an incredible bunch, some new faces and some we’ve worked with over the years, all making us laugh enormously,” said the co-writers.
The six-part series, formerly known as Afternoons, will follow “the off-the-pitch misadventures of three young football players as they find themselves struggling with their mercurial Italian manager, the team’s eccentric American chairman, a resident hard-man and an ineffectual coach”, according to the official synopsis released by the BBC.
The Arrested Development star will take on the role of the American chairman, alongside Shaquille Ali-Yebuah (The Feed, The Children Act), Jack McMullen (The Souvenir) and Jake Short (SuperCool, This Is the Year) in lead roles.
“Iain and Damon have created a series about a group of ordinary young men in an extraordinary world,” said Gregor Sharp, the Commissioning Editor at the BBC. “It’s completely authentic, full of observation and insight, as well as their trademark gift for comic set piece and they’ve assembled an amazing team to bring it to life. We can’t wait to see the results.”
The series will be executive produced by Tom Werner (Roseanne, That ‘70s Show) and Caroline Leddy of the Inbetweeners. Werner is also the founder of the Carsey-Werner Company and currently chairman of Liverpool soccer club, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The BBC Studios will be financing the development of the series and is handling global distribution rights.
“Iain, Damon and Tom have pulled together a fantastic international cast that I think audiences around the world will love!” said Jonathan Blyth, the Director of Comedy for BBC studios. “This is such an exciting collaboration for us, and I look forward to seeing the cast dazzle on screen.”