K&K back in trackies

Look at moye ... Kath & Kim stars Jane Turner and Gina Riley are celebrating / file

SUBURBAN heroines Kath and Kim have conquered Australia, are ready to take on the US and are so cashed up they`ll begin independently filming a new local series today.

The team behind the comedy - actors Jane Turner, Gina Riley and her husband Rick McKenna - are still negotiating with commercial networks after the first three eight-part series and telemovie aired on the ABC.

"We start shooting (today) but can`t talk at the moment because we are focused on the creative process," McKenna said yesterday.

"But at this stage we`re going ahead without yet finalising details with an Australian broadcasting partner."

"It`s too early to say where it will end up - but that`s all I can say."

They`ve been able to do so - at an estimated $250,000 per episode - thanks to a deal with US broadcasting giant NBC.

It has ordered a 30-minute pilot, usually costing more than $US1.5 million, with American actors for that giant market.

Their biggest supporter is Los Angeles based executive producer Ben Silverman, a proven hitmaker and the man behind US hits Ugly Betty, The Biggest Loser and the US version of UK sitcom The Office.

He has held extensive meetings with the team and believes the US is ready for a remake of Kath and Kim.

"I love the original - I love, love the show," Silverman told The Daily Telegraph.

"It`s one of the funniest I`ve ever seen and we`ve just written a script and NBC is confident enough to produce a pilot this summer."

Riley Turner Productions have spoken to each of the Australian commercial networks, who have all told The Daily Telegraph they would love the show at the right price.

The ABC has made two offers for the new series but the K&K team are contractually allowed to negotiate before the ABC has the right for a last offer.