Debra Messing has accepted a starring role in a new, untitled comedy pilot from CBS.
The actress, who is currently starring in NBC's musical drama Smash, will play busy wife and mother Shira in the single-camera sitcom, according to numerous sources.
The pilot is based on an Israeli family comedy and has been created by Julie Rottenberg and Elisa Zuritsky, who have both worked as writers on Smash.
The project is in second position for Messing, which means that her involvement in Smash takes priority.
However, the former Will & Grace star's attachment to the new show has fuelled rumours that Smash could be dropped by NBC at the end of its current season.
The network recently moved the Theresa Rebeck-created show to a Saturday slot in a schedule shake-up - a move which was widely reported to be down to Smash's low ratings.
What to Read Next
Showrunner Josh Safran was recently quoted as saying that he is aware the show is not currently proving to be a success, and hinted that the season finale is being written as though it could be the last ever episode.
US TV's most exciting pilots - picture gallery:USTV: TV pilots
Kate (they/she) is a freelance writer, editor, digital editorial trainer and data technician who first joined Digital Spy as an overnight freelance sub-editor in January 2011, after studying a postgraduate diploma in journalism at Salford University while working part-time as a social researcher.
In July 2013, Kate joined the DS staff team as chief sub-editor and following six years as the site's managing editor, their role expanded to incorporate Hearst UK's entertainment portfolio (including Digital Spy and its sibling titles Best and Inside Soap) between late 2024 and early 2026.
Kate has worked as a writer and editor since 2006, with bylines syndicated across the Hearst network and at organisations including Metro. They started their career as a TV production runner for the BBC and contributed to various music websites, blogs and zines while based in Manchester.
During her time at DS, Kate has previously been a freelance sub-editor and chief sub-editor.
Kate's team at Digital Spy were proudly nominated in the Best Subbing/Production Team category at the BSME Talent Awards 2022. Over the years, she has contributed to coverage of many, many Prime Days and Black Friday/Cyber Monday, and was part of the team that launched the DS weekly TV newsletter in November 2019 – followed by the Top of the Shops e-commerce newsletter in May 2024.
Kate's screen passions include Taskmaster (their biggest career regret remains turning down the opportunity to visit the house), nature documentaries, and live sport (up there with the greatest of all soap operas although if asked to choose, it's Corrie… every time).
Her highlights while working at DS have included interviewing Stevie Nicks on the red carpet for her documentary In Your Dreams, sitting at a press roundtable with Formula 1 commentary icon Murray Walker, watching a life-sized LEGO car being driven around Silverstone, writing an album-by-album retrospective of Lady Gaga's genre-defying career for Living Legends, and raising awareness of receiving and understanding a late-in-life ADHD diagnosis through the lens of Bianca and Freddie's EastEnders storyline.
Upon remembering to log off the internet, Kate enjoys live theatre, dance and comedy, appreciating nature, baking (badly), tending a recently-rented allotment (equally badly) and pampering one very spoiled rescue cat named Jolene.
LinkedIn
