Steve Coogan replacing Philip Seymour Hoffman in Showtime's Happyish

Steve Coogan will replace the late Philip Seymour Hoffman in Showtime series Happyish.

Hoffman had portrayed a hapless advertising executive in writer Shalom Auslander's pilot, prior to his death from a drug overdose in February.

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The fate of the series was uncertain following Hoffman's passing, but Showtime has now confirmed that Coogan is stepping into the lead role.

Writer Auslander said in a statement: "Steve's range is astounding. He is a comedy legend, a gifted satirist, and he possesses the unique combination of talents this role demands."

Coogan will play Thom Payne, an advertising executive whose life is upended when a 25-year-old is hired as his new boss.

Payne finds himself increasingly at odds with the changing digital landscape as he wonders if he can still find happiness in his work.

Happyish is being produced by Ken Kwapis, who previously helped adapt The Office for US television.

Coogan is perhaps best known for his comedy character ‎Alan Partridge, in addition to earning two Academy Award nominations this year for the film Philomena.

Justin Harp

Night News Editor

Justin has been with Digital Spy since 2010, and in that time, has covered countless major news events for DS from the US. 

He has worked previously as both a reporter and sub editor for the brand, prior to taking on the position of Night News Editor in 2016. 

Over more than a decade, he has interviewed a wide-ranging group of public figures, from comedian Steve Coogan to icons from the Star Trek universe, cast members from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and reality stars from numerous Real Housewives cities and the Below Deck franchise. As a US contributor to Digital Spy, Justin has also been on the ground to cover major pop culture events like the Star Wars Celebration and the D23 Expo.