Desperate Housewives spin-off is planned

Plans are underway for a Desperate Housewives spin-off series starring Kathryn Joosten and Lily Tomlin, who play elderly sisters Karen and Roberta McCluskey.

Both actresses previously played the President's secretary in US drama The West Wing, but in different series.

Karen McCluskey has been part of the Channel 4 show from its premiere in 2004 and is the older, often sarcastic, Wisteria Lane neighbour. Her sister, Roberta, came into the current series to visit Karen after she was hospitalised. Since then, the pair have been trying to find out about the sinister double life of Edie Britt's psycho husband Dave.

A production source says that American channel ABC hopes to get Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry involved in the new spin-off series, which has yet to be named. "Cherry clearly knows how to write for these two actresses. And we would love to have him involved," said the source.

It's not yet clear what format the show will take, although it sounds very much like hit comedy The Golden Girls, which saw elderly sisters causing chaos when they lived together.