The hugely popular Channel 4 series Shameless is to be Americanised by the quality Stateside cabler HBO. The President of HBO's programming group Mike Lombardo announced to Variety yesterday that they are "developing a U.S. version of 'Shameless' with John Wells writing." Wells is the man who kept ER afloat for nigh on 20 years as Executive Producer and showrunner. The once mighty medical drama winds down in its final season on NBC this year. HBO are responsible for some of the best television that America, and indeed the world, has ever seen. Entourage, The Sopranos, The Wire, Six Feet Under, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Sex and the City have all been huge worldwide hits for he cable network. It's thought Shameless' producer and creator Paul Abbot will have a Ricky Gervais style creative hand in the development of the new version of the show.
