'How I Met Your Mother' Producer Sells Buddy Comedy to Fox (Exclusive)

Fox is in business with How I Met Your Mother co-executive producer Joe Kelly.

The network has bought Kelly's untitled half-hour buddy comedy, formerly known as Uncle A-Hole. Written on spec, it centers on a guy who reconnects with his sister's college drop out son.



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The single-camera project, which Kelly will write and executive produce, landed at Sony Pictures Television after a bidding war broke out.



The news comes on the heels of Mother producers Carter Bays and Craig Thomas' sitcom project, The Goodwin Games, landing at Fox. The single camera laugher centers on three siblings who reconnect after their father passes away.

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In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter last month, Fox entertainment president Kevin Reilly said live-action comedy was his No. 1 priority this development season. "Since I came back to Fox [four years ago], the network has kind of lost its pulse on the comedy side," he said, before noting that the tide was shifting with the recent success of newcomer New Girl. "We're going to try four comedies in March [likely to include Christian Slater's Breaking In], and it's something we want to see more of on the schedule next year."

Kelly, whose other small screen credits include Saturday Night Live and The Winner, is repped by UTA.

Email: Lacey.Rose@THR.com; Twitter: @LaceyVRose