US TV network ABC has ordered two spinoffs of reality series Wife Swap - before even a single episode of the original has aired.

The broadcaster originally commissioned just seven episodes of the hit Channel 4 show for transmission this autumn but demonstrated extra faith in the show at its upfronts last month by bumping the slate to a full season order of 20 episodes.

Now it has given the go-ahead to two spinoffs: Husband Swap, which sees the males in the same situation, and Boss Swap, where top executives switch companies for a fortnight.

The news coincides with the announcement from rival network FOX that it is developing a suspiciously similar show called Trading Spouses. Transmission is set for later this summer in advance of Wife Swap's debut on September 29.