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An iconic Australian sitcom is set to return to screens in 2023 when comedians Denise Scott and Matt Okine star in a remake of Mother and Son.
- Matt Okine led the recreation with collaborators Sarah Walker, Tristram Baumber and the show's original creator Geoffrey Atherden
- The eight-part series will screen on ABC TV and ABC iview next year
- Head of Screen NSW Kyas Hepworth said the iconic series was hugely successful during its original run on the ABC
ABC, Screen Australia and Screen NSW on Thursday announced the revival of the beloved show, which was broadcast on the ABC from 1984 to 1994.
Okine led the recreation with collaborators Sarah Walker, Tristram Baumber and the show's original creator Geoffrey Atherden to produce an eight-part series that will screen on ABC TV and ABC iview next year.
"The idea to re-create Mother and Son first came to me back in 2013 when I was touring Hong Kong alongside Denise," Okine said.
"It was a staple of the Okine family TV when I was growing up; a beautiful snapshot of 1980s Australian suburbia, made hilariously unforgettable by its co-stars Ruth Cracknell and Garry McDonald.
"Ten years in the making, it feels like a dream come true to have this idea brought back to life.
"Denise and I have huge shoes to fill but with my hairline going the way it is, I feel like I was born to play a 2023 version of Arthur!".
The series will follow recently-single Arthur Gbeme (Okine) who moves back into his family home when his widowed mum Maggie (Scott) sets fire to the kitchen
ABC Head of Comedy Todd Abbott said he thought Okine and the team were joking when they suggested revisiting this classic series.
"But the more excited they got, the more it became clear we absolutely had to make it," Mr Abbott said.
"Australia has changed a lot in 40 years, and this cheeky, fired-up, laugh-out-loud series reflects that beautifully.
"And for anyone who needs any more convincing, I have two words: Denise Scott."
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The producers from Wooden Horse said the "warm and funny" reimagining of Mother and Son was the perfect antidote to the doom and gloom of the last few years.
They said the pandemic forced many to reconnect with family and the new series would resonate all the more as a result.
"With the blessing of Mother and Son's original creator Geoffrey Atherden, we are thrilled to bring this hilarious and provocative reimagining to the ABC and audiences the world over," a statement from Wooden Horse producers Jude Troy and Richard Finlayson said.
Head of Screen NSW Kyas Hepworth said the iconic series was hugely successful during its original run on the ABC, and she was confident it would leverage the success of the original series and attract new audiences.
Okine is a stand-up comedian and former co-host of the Triple J breakfast show.
Scott is a stand-up comedian and actor who has appeared frequently on various Australian television shows since her regular slot on ABC TV's The Big Gig in 1990.