From 'Obnoxious Fiance' to 'Obnoxious Boss'

A new fake reality show from the makers of My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiancé will air in the US from November.

Last time the series poked fun at the romance genre of reality TV but this time round it will parody business reality shows like The Apprentice.

Called My Big Fat Obnoxious Boss, the series will feature twelve unsuspecting but real contestants competing for a prominent position under 'Mr. N. Paul Todd,' introduced as the founder and CEO of a multibillion-dollar company, IOCOR.

A FOX press release explains how the show goes down: "The professional prank begins when the 12 contestants - young, overachieving, type-A business professionals - arrive in Chicago and begin competing in frustrating and ridiculous challenges. This dozen have the drive, self-assurance and ego that it takes to think they can jump to the top of the corporate ladder. They take their relationship with 'Mr. Todd' and the competition seriously, plotting their strategies to win his approval, an enormous cash prize and a lucrative opportunity to join this powerful, yet unknown, investment organization.

"The $250,000 cash prize is real, but that's about it. Unbeknownst to these "business savvy" participants, IOCOR is a fictitious company and 'Mr. Todd' is really actor William August setting out to dupe the 12 know-it-all participants. As Steven Bailey did in My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiancé, August uses his improvisational skills to test the limits of the unsuspecting candidates through unrealistic conversations, circumstances, and of course, questionable business challenges with humiliating consequences for the losing team.

"Through a series of tasks, this phony climb to the top will feature unsuspecting teams utilizing their highly touted business backgrounds, educations and strategies to compete against each other. Each week, the losing team sends two finalists to the boardroom to plead their case with 'Mr. Todd' before one of them is eliminated. What they don't know is that 'Mr. Todd' isn't the one really making the decisions. It will remain a secret to the contestants until the last elimination that a mystery boss has actually been deciding their fate. In an eye-opening, jaw-dropping turn, the identity of the real boss will be the biggest surprise of all."

My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiancé posted huge ratings for FOX when it aired earlier this year; the network will be hoping the new series repeats that feat when it begins Sunday, November 7 at 9pm.

UK airings of the show proved similarly - albeit relatively - popular on E4 this summer; UK viewers should expect to see the new series early next year.