British adaptation of Web Therapy announced, starring Stephen Mangan

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A British version of the Lisa Kudrow-starring online comedy Web Therapy has been announced, and will star Stephen Mangan as an unconventional therapist.

Renamed Hang Ups, the series will see Dr Richard Pitt conduct quick-fire therapy sessions via webcam, all while he tries to tackle his own demons.

Stephen Mangan, writer and star, said: “People are complex and complicated and they lead messy, knotty lives. We’ve tried to put some of that all-too-familiar turmoil onscreen and the result, I think, is chaotic, glorious and disturbing.”

“Stephen Mangan and Robert Delamere have achieved the almost impossible task of creating a brilliantly farcical show that is at heart a family sitcom,” said Fiona McDermott, Head of Comedy at Channel 4. “An ambitious, modern comedy, Hang Ups is a timely, inventive and very funny exploration of the ridiculous pile up of challenges we call modern life.”

Web Therapy appeared at a time when web series were a new and untested thing, before being adopted by Showtime and made to fit traditional standards of length. It was also entirely improvised, so it will be interesting to see whether Hang Ups tries to adapt that element.