Sutton, NBC near pilot deal

Meyer out, Weyman in as skein is retooled

By JOSEF ADALIAN

Veteran scribe Phoef Sutton ("Cheers") is finalizing a deal to come on board as writer-exec producer of the NBC comedy pilot "Coupling."

Pilot is expected to be reshot in the next few weeks, with Andy Weyman ("Roseanne") in talks to direct the half-hour from NBC Studios and Reveille. Breckin Meyer, who had been set to play one of the leads in the ensemble cast, will be replaced; other cast changes are a possibility.

Addition of Sutton comes in the wake of a decision by original scribes Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont ("Can't Hardly Wait") to exit "Coupling," which is based on the successful British skein of the same name.

Sutton recently served as writer-producer on NBC's "The Fighting Fitzgeralds." Weyman most recently directed pilots of "The Grubbs," "The Kennedys" and "Late Bloomers." Both are repped by BWCS.