Former Friends star David Schwimmer is set to follow in Matt LeBlanc’s footsteps by starring in a new British sitcom. The Channel 4 show, Morning has Broken, will see the actor play a US TV producer brought across the Atlantic to revive a failing breakfast programme.

The new six-part series will debut in 2016, and is written by Julia Davis (Nighty Night and Hunderby) and Nick Mohammed, who will both also feature in prominent roles.

Davis is set to star as the face of the failing breakfast TV show Good Morning... with Gail Sinclair, which has started to lose viewers following eight successful years on screen.

Schwimmer, who rose to fame as the geeky rage-fuelled palaeontologist Ross Gellar on the hit American show, is the second cast member to try his luck with a British sitcom. Matt LeBlanc, who played Joey Tribbiani on the NBC comedy, has achieved much acclaim for playing a version of himself on the BBC show Episodes, and bagged a Golden Globe for his performance in 2012.

Schwimmer’s career since Friends wrapped in 2004 has been relatively low profile, with roles in 30 Rock, Curb Your Enthusiasm and a cameo as himself in Episodes. He is set to star as OJ Simpson’s lawyer Robert Kardashian in the forthcoming series American Crime Story.

Channel 4's commissioning editor, Rachel Springett, said the broadcaster was happy to land the British channel was delighted with the prospect of the sitcom.

"Julia is undoubtedly one of our most talented comedic writers and actresses and it's a testament to the quality of her writing that she can attract such a big star. We are thrilled to have David Schwimmer star alongside Julia in this exciting new series for the channel," she said.

Schwimmer, who has a lot of experience with British comedy after directing the entire run of episode of Little Britain USA, said he was very excited by the project.

"I've been a massive fan of Julia's for years, and I'm thrilled to be able to finally work with her and Nick on this fantastic comedy," he said.