Ben Stiller to bring Channel 4’s ‘Home’ to the U.S.

On: November 24, 2019, By: Bill Young

Photo: Channel 4

Ben Stiller has signed up to direct and executive produce an American re-make of Channel 4 comedy Home, with Black-ish executive producer Stacy Traub overseeing the script re-write.

Home follows the plight of a Syrian refugee who enters Britain illegally to claim asylum, in the car boot of a family coming home from holiday. Written by and starring W1A star Rufus Jones, Home tells the story of Sami, played brilliantly by Youssef Kerkour, as he tries to settle in the UK. Sami ends up living in suburban London (Dorking) with his new adoptive couple Peter (Jones) and Katy, and her son John, after they are surprised to find their unexpected visitor when they return from France.

After having the good fortune to screen the initial pilot last year at the BBC Showcase in Liverpool, Home brought a tear to the eye of many of us as, beyond the comedic aspects of Sami and his quest to claim asylum, we watched both Sami and his newly adoptive family come to terms with what “home” really means. The series was an overwhelming favorite among our small group of programmers looking to bring back comedy gold to our respective public television stations in the future.

Photo: Channel 4

Home has also become somewhat of a personal passion for Jones. The W1A star told BBC News: “I first thought of the idea in the middle of the refugee crisis in 2015, when we were getting all these terrible images. But rather than being about Syria, it’s about what a Syrian man finds when he arrives here — and I wanted to do that from the point of view of a family. It’s almost like a state of the nation piece.”

Following our screening at BBC Showcase in Liverpool, Home was commissioned for a full six-part series following a successful Channel 4 pilot episode and and then transmitted earlier this year. Fiona McDermott, head of comedy at Channel 4, said: “Home got us with its heart and conviction to tell an important story about family, strangers, identity and the fragile ties that both bind us and pull us apart. It’s full of warmth, boldness and characters we hope viewers will really take to their hearts.”