Ricky Gervais 'very excited' for The Office's female-led Australian remake

Ricky Gervais has expressed his excitement about an upcoming Australian version of his show The Office.

Following The Office's runs in the United Kingdom and the United States, the TV series has been set for an Australian adaptation coming to Prime Video - with a female in the lead role for the first time.

Australian comedian and actress Felicity Ward has signed on as a new version of the middle manager character originally played by Ricky.

"I'm very excited about Australia remaking my little show from the turn of the century," Ricky said in a statement accompanying the announcement. "Office politics have changed a bit in 20 years, so can't wait to see how they navigate a modern-day David Brent."

As per the announcement from Prime Video, The Office Australia has cast Felicity as Hannah Howard: the managing director of packaging company Flinley Craddick.

Set in present day - when Hannah's managers tell her they're shutting down her branch and making all staff work from home - Hannah "goes into survival mode" by "making promises she can't keep in order to keep her 'work family' together".

The upcoming Australian adaptation would mark the 13th iteration of the U.K. mockumentary series originally created by Ricky and Stephen Merchant. Other international remakes have included those from France, Canada, Chile, and Israel.

Filming of the eight-part series will commence in Sydney in June this year.