Osbournes to front new US variety show

Ozzy, Sharon, Jack and Kelly Osbourne have signed up to front a new variety show for US television.

The series will combine features including live music, comedy sketches and competitions in the vein of classic entertainment shows, such as 1970s favourite The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour.

Mike Darnell, president of alternative programming at Fox, ordered six episodes for the network after speaking to Sharon about her ideas for the programme. "We've been talking about how to renew the variety show concept and make it feel new for years now," he said.

Other ideas for content include the Osbournes meeting families who share their surname, an item in which Ozzy mocks elements of popular culture, and a feature playing on the rivalry between Jack and Kelly.

Fox is hoping to launch the series, which comes after Sharon quit as a judge on ITV's The X Factor, with a Christmas special this year. She has agreed to discuss the role of celebrities in reality TV at this year's MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival.