Massive US sitcom set for shock reboot 17 years on from last episode after fans still tune in on streaming platforms

THE team behind one of the biggest US sitcoms of the 21st century could be giving it a shock revival. My Name Is Earl — about a small-time thief who dedicates his life to righting wrongs — was a huge hit when it first aired in 2005. Jason Lee as Earl in My Name Is Earl Credit: Channel 4 Ethan Suplee as Randy Hickey and Jason Lee as Earl Hickey in the hit series Credit: Getty It premiered in the UK shortly afterwards, in January 2006, on Channel 4. Over four series it made a star out of its leading man, Jason Lee, but it was cancelled in 2009. Sign up for the TV newsletter Thank you! Now, 17 years later, it could be returning. A TV insider said: “It’s not clear if this would be a continuation of the original story or a total reboot, but essentially they will be tapping into the spirit of the show’s first outing for this comeback. Read more on My Name Is Earl “The move comes after the revival of Malcolm In The Middle, another classic from the Noughties, which returned earlier this year on Disney with the spin-off Life’s Still Unfair. “That saw the show’s leading man, Frankie Munz, reprise his central role, much to the delight of fans. “Now execs are assessing just how successful that show has been before going ahead with any similar projects.” My Name Is Earl is still proving popular on streamers Disney+ and ITVX. Most read in TV It told the tale of ne’er do well Earl Hickey who loses his winning $100,000 lottery ticket after being hit by a car while he celebrates his good fortune. Realising he has cheated death, he dedicates his life to doing good and, as a result, finds the lottery ticket. He then uses his new-found riches to continue doing good deeds. During its run, the show scooped five Prime­time Emmy Awards and was nominated for other gongs including the Golden Globes and Baftas. Fingers crossed it is revived — My Name Is Earl has to be one of the best sitcoms ever. KELLY’S EMOTION ON VOICE The Voice’s Sir Tom Jones, Danny Jones, Kelly Rowland, Will.i.am and Tom Fletcher Credit: ITV SOUL icon Kelly Rowland arrived in style for her new gig on The Voice, showcasing her vocal prowess in her very own blind audition. With such impressive pipes, it’s no surprise fellow coaches all turned their red chairs for the Destiny’s Child singer. She delivered a dazzling snippet of Emotion by the Bee Gees, which became a huge hit in 2001 when her band – including Beyonce and Michelle Williams – recorded their own version. Panellists Sir Tom Jones, Will.i.am and McFly’s Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones couldn’t spin their chairs fast enough to welcome their new colleague in a trailer for the series, which starts on August 22 on ITV1 and ITVX. Emma Willis returns as host and a new feature, the Rewind button, lets coaches change their minds about an act that didn’t get a single chair turn in the blind auditions. SAMSUNG’s free streaming service has launched four channels dedicated to some of our best-loved shows – ITV gameshow The Cube, BBC’s Garden Rescue, featuring Charlie Dimmock, plus Channel 4 reality series Tattoo Fixers and Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners. SECOND SERIES FOR SNL The first outing of Saturday Night Live UK featured Tina Fey Credit: Alamy SATURDAY Night Live UK proved the naysayers wrong earlier this year, delivering comedy genius with viral sketches. And it’s back for a second crack, with six new episodes dropping on Sky and Now from September 12. Broadcast live each week, the series will once again welcome a different celebrity host and musical guest for each episode. The first outing featured Tina Fey, Jamie Dornan, Riz Ahmed, Jack Whitehall, Nicola Coughlan and Aimee Lou Wood as presenters, with Kasabian and Foo Fighters among the musical guests. All 11 members of the cast, including Jack Shep, Emma Sidi and Paddy Young – will return for the new series. More shows are already being planned for early next year, too. DAVID ATTENBOROUGH will return to explore the hidden wild world of Britain’s backyards in a second series of Secret Garden, reports TV industry website Broadcast. The celebrated ­naturalist will narrate more episodes of the BBC programme which centres on everyday local wildlife. HOULT IN POTTER WIZARDRY Nicholas Hoult will play Gilderoy Lockhart in the new Harry Potter series Credit: Getty THE hotly anticipated Harry Potter series has added some more star power – with X-Men actor Nicholas Hoult joining the cast. He will play Gilderoy Lockhart, a professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, who was portrayed by Sir Kenneth Branagh in the films. HBO’s TV adaptation of JK Rowling‘s best-selling books airs this Christmas, although Hoult will not be seen until season two. John Lithgow has been cast as Hogwarts headmaster Dumbledore, Pappa Essiedu plays Snape, Nick Frost is Hagrid and Warwick Davis is Professor Filius Flitwick. Dominic McLaughlin stars as Harry, Arabella Stanton as Hermione and Alastair Stout as Ron. Comment now