ABC Orders ‘Work Wife’ Comedy Pilot Inspired By Kelly Ripa & Ryan Seacrest From ‘Real O’Neals’ Co-Creators

Nellie Andreeva and Denise Petski
·3 min read

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ABC has given a pilot order to Work Wife, a single-camera comedy inspired by the real-life partnerships of co-hosts and longtime friends Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest, and David Windsor and Casey Johnson, the longtime writing-producing team and The Real O’Neals co-creators. Todd Holland (The Real O’Neals) has been tapped to direct the pilot, from Seacrest’s Ryan Seacrest Productions, Ripa and Mark Consuelos’ Milojo Productions and ABC Studios, where both Ryan Seacrest Prods and Milojo Prods are based.

Written by Windsor and Johnson, Work Wife tells the story of a platonic male-female team whose professional success, personal friendship and ability to share deodorant makes their lives work. Set in the world of real estate, Dani and Scott have taken the leap to start their own team. Now feeling the stress of being the boss, they have to rely on the yin-yang of their dynamic more than ever to keep their professional and personal lives afloat.

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Ripa and Seacrest originally set up Work Wife at ABC during the 2018-19 development season with a put pilot commitment and Michael Ian Black as writer. The concept was redeveloped this season with Windsor and Johnson, who also drew upon their own “work wife” experiences.

2020 ABC Pilots & Series Orders

Windsor and Johnson executive produce with Holland, along with Ripa, Consuelos and Albert Bianchini for Milojo Productions and Seacrest, Nina Wass and Andrea Shay for Ryan Seacrest Productions. Michael Halpern is director of development for Milojo. ABC Studios is the studio.

Seacrest joined Ripa as co-host and fellow executive producer on the Disney|ABC syndicated entertainment TV talk show Live with Kelly & Ryan in 2017. The two have been longtime friends, and Seacrest previously guest-hosted on the show. Seacrest also hosts American Idol on ABC and is host and executive producer of ABC’s annual Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest.

Johnson and Windsor co-created and executive produced The Real O’Neals, which aired for two seasons on ABC. They currently are co-executive producers on NBC’s This Is Us.

Holland served as executive producer and director on The Real O’Neals. His other directing credits include Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Black-ish, and Me, Myself and I. He is directing Amazing Stories for Apple.

Work Wife joins ABC comedy pilots Prospect and My Village.

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