Bill Murray fronting BBC golf show
Bill Murray is fronting BBC's Off Course - working title - which sees him, his extended family, celebrity friends, and long-time golfing companion Tom Coyne, visit some of Ireland's "most breathtaking" golf courses.
Bill Murray will take on Ireland's "most breathtaking" golf courses in a new BBC Two series.
Off Course - a working title - follows the 71-year-old actor, his extended family, celebrity friends, and long-time golfing companion, writer Tom Coyne, and it captures candid, unscripted moments woven with the wit, warmth, and wonder of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Bill said: "I started out caddying, and golf was the best education I ever received. Ireland feels like the right place to put all that to work.
"They’ve got this wonderful word there, ‘craic,’ which means fun, but it means a lot of other things. A lot of good things.
"And this show will be about us finding it."
The six-part series is no ordinary golf show - it's about life, chance encounters and the joy of going gloriously off course.
Catherine Catton, BBC's Head of Factual Entertainment Commissioning and Events, said: "This is a series full of humour, heart and adventure, set against some of the most beautiful backdrops imaginable – and we can’t wait for audiences to come along for the ride with Bill."
As well as BBC Two, Off Course - which has been inspired by Tom Coyne’s 2009 New York Times bestselling book, A Course Called Ireland: A Long Walk in Search of a Country, a Pint, and the Next Tee - will also air on BBC One Northern Ireland, BBC iPlayer and Paramount+.
Eddie Doyle, Head of Content Commissioning at BBC Northern Ireland, said: "We’re thrilled that this series promises stunning scenery and beautiful golf courses, couple this with the wit and charm of Bill and his friends, and the series promises to be joyful viewing for audiences."
BBC Factual Entertainment and BBC Northern Ireland, along with Paramount+, have commissioned Off Course.
The series is co-produced by independent production company Stellify Media - a Sony Pictures Television company - and US production company Skydance Sports, which was recently announced as part of the newly formed Paramount Sports Entertainment.
Kieran Doherty, CEO and Co-Founder of Stellify Media, said: "Getting the opportunity to show off this gorgeous island we call home has been a privilege and a delight. Expect magic, mayhem and mischief in equal measure."
Greg Groggel, Vice President Unscripted of Skydance Sports, added: "Off Course isn’t just a show about golf and this beautiful land, it’s about discovery and understanding, and we cannot wait to see where this adventure takes us."
The BBC is yet to announce an air date for Off Course.
