MIPCOM: Hat Trick International has sold series one and two of comedy series Episodes, starring Friends actor Matt LeBlanc, to Japanese broadcaster Wowow.

The comedy will premier on the pay TV channel, which also first took Friends to Japan, from November.

The co-production between Showtime in America, the BBC and Hat Trick Productions sees LeBlanc playing an exaggerated version of himself with Stephen Mangan and Tamsin Greig as an English couple who have produced a comedy, which has been picked up for a US remake. The second series has been recommissioned by both broadcasters for a 2012 transmission.

Director of sales at Hat Trick International Sarah Tong said:“The show continues to pull in new international broadcasters, proving that its witty and frank take on Hollywood life is truly a topic of worldwide fascination.”

Mioko Iwashima, international acquisitions at Wowow, said: “Wowow brought Friends and Joey to Japan so we though that it would be fitting for us to bring Episodes to the Japanese audience too. We think it is a great addition to our programming and look forward to its successful debut.”

The first series has also been sold to more than 180 countries and the second series will be shown on channels in Africa, Asia, Benelux, Central and Eastern Europe, Greece, Israel, Latin America, Russia, Turkey, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal and Sweden.

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