Richard Ayoade has admitted he was “dumb” to agree to appear in the failed 2006 US pilot version of hit British comedy the IT Crowd.


Speaking on tonight’s Graham Norton Show, the actor and director, who starred as uber-geek Moss in both shows, said: “I was the only one [of the original British cast] dumb enough to do it. It was deeply weird. It was a bit like a play where everyone else had left. It was very odd. I understand they are trying again and now I’m out there’s a chance it will succeed. It was a strange experience.”

Ayoade is certainly right that a second attempt is being made to revive the show across the Atlantic.

Last month it emerged that American network NBC was having another go at bringing IT department losers Moss, Roy and Jen across the pond under the auspices of Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence, and with Linehan’s backing.

When the news broke, Linehan stated on Twitter that he was “closely involved” with the project and promised that it would be more successful.

Actually, tempting disaster to say we're going to get it right this time. Should really say, we have a better chance of getting it right — Graham Linehan (@Glinner) October 16, 2014

The 2006 US pilot was never broadcast, although clips of the show did find their way on to the internet (see below).

Ayoade’s fellow guests on tonight’s Graham Norton Show are Dame Shirley Bassey, comedian and children’s author David Walliams, comic actress Catherine Tate and singer songwriter Annie Lennox.

The Graham Norton show is on BBC1 on Friday November 7th at 10:35pm


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uydj3tPk_N0?list=PLvQ_7gOzAYNTUnUuPJKyghfvChls1D4ZO