Steve Coogan inherits Philip Seymour Hoffman TV role

Steve Coogan has been cast in a US TV series that was to have starred the late actor Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Hoffman had been due to begin filming the lead role in Happyish at the time of his drug-related death in February.

Showtime will shoot a new "pilot" show, starring Coogan as a Briton in New York whose world is disrupted when he gets a much younger boss.

Show creator Shalom Auslander said he "possesses the unique combination of talents this role demands".

"Steve's range is astounding," continued the writer and producer, describing the Alan Partridge star as "a comedy legend [and] a gifted satirist".

The original Happyish pilot also featured Rhys Ifans and comedian Louis CK alongside Hoffman's Thom Payne character.

It is not yet known whether any of the original pilot's actors will reprise their performances in the reshot version.

When Hoffman died at the age of 46, Coogan remembered him as "a hugely gifted actor" whom he had "looked up to and admired".

"He raised the bar for everyone and was a true artist," he continued. "He'll be held up as an icon for character actors everywhere."

Meanwhile, the Fox network has announced it is developing a TV series based on the Will Smith romantic comedy Hitch.

Smith will executive produce the spin-off from his 2005 film, in which he played a New York "date doctor" who assists lovelorn singletons.