Friends to get Northern Ireland reboot

Popular US sitcom 'Friends' is to get a Northern Ireland reboot in 2011. A new series coming to UTV called 'Shams'.

Ulsterbus to feature prominently in opening sequence.

Set in Coleraine on the sunny north coast the show will follow the misadventures in love and life of six waggish characters struggling to balance their careers with their need to constantly hang out in a coffee shop.

Meet the Cast...

Tiffany (Mark) the Transvestite and the show's straight man.

Kimi, the one who may or may not be retarded.

Robin, the 'ethnic' member of the cast, has a tan.

Billy, the sarcastic one with a real job.

Cat, the one who keeps having babies.

And Matt LeBlanc as Joey.

Coleraine was picked to be the setting of the show because as part of the 'Triangle Area' (Coleraine, Portrush, Portstewart) the crew have access to a wide variety of settings and good places to go for the after show party. Plus the strong tides of the ban will help get rid of the bodies of the hookers that inevitably show up when Matt LeBlanc performs.

The Bann, good for getting rid of dead hookers.

 The show opens with Joey moving to Northern Ireland to continue his acting career performing in Coleraine's Riverside Theatre, only to lose his job on the first day for screwing the director's daughter. With no money to return home he becomes the roommate of sarcastic guy Billy and from there it is assumed that comedy will ensue.

Coleraine Town Centre, expected not to feature at all.

Kimi gets into all kinds of goofy fun.

Eddie Izzard expected to make a guest appearance as Tiffany's hot cousin.

David Schwimmer also expected to guest as Ross doing a tour with his music.

Tune in on June 10th for the first episode of Shams.