Spielberg to remake TV show 'The Syndicate'

Los Angeles: Steven Spielberg has grabbed the rights to TV drama 'The Syndicate', after watching each episode of it thrice.

The 'Jaws' director is overseeing a remake of the hit series for US network ABC after falling for it, reports The Sun.

The show's writer, Kay Mellor, said: "He told me that he and his wife were avid fans of the show and he is now having a pilot episode written for US network ABC, based on the British version.

"He certainly knew everything about the show, which is perhaps not that surprising if he'd watched each episode three times," she added.

Kay says she thought she was the victim of a hoax when she was originally told Spielberg wanted to call her about the show.

"My agent said he wanted my mobile phone number, but after four days of waiting for Steven to ring I thought it must be a joke. Then he called me when I was sitting at my kitchen table in casual clothes and slippers, working on the script for 'The Syndicate 2'. He roared with laughter when I told him what I was wearing and I promised to send him a picture of me in my slippers - which I did," she said.

In BBC1's 'The Syndicate', which starred Timothy Spall and Joanna Page, a group of supermarket workers hit the Lottery jackpot.

In the second series, starring Alison Steadman, Mark Addy, Natalie Gavin and Siobhan Finneran, the story revolves around five nurses who scoop a 72 million pounds payday.

It is due on screen next year.