Lumley & SaundersAb Fab in US

A new sitcom that will reunite Absolutely Fabulous stars Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley has been snapped up for American TV. The eight part series, which will first be seen in the UK later this year under the title Jam and Jerusalem, follows the exploits of a WI-style women's group in a small village.

Written by Saunders, it will also star Dawn French, Sue Johnston and Pauline McLynn, best known for her role as Mrs Doyle in Father Ted.

BBC America is co-producing the show and will air it in the US next year under an as yet undecided title, because Jam and Jerusalem is likely to baffle Americans.

A pilot for the series, which the BBC has stressed is not about the WI, has already been filmed.

A spokeswoman for BBC America said: "Ab Fab is hugely popular in the US and we expect Jennifer's new comedy to go down a storm."