Disney+ hires The Studio's Seth Rogen for the biggest comedy comeback in streaming history

Fresh from his success at the Emmys, having won directing, writing and best lead actor awards for Apple TV+'s The Studio, Seth Rogen has been hired by a rival streaming service to bring back a much-loved comedy classic.

Disney+ has secured his production company's services to make a new special episode of The Muppet Show – the first in over 44 years.

Rogen himself will reportedly produce it, with one guest confirmed already: controversial pop songstress Sabrina Carpenter. If successful, it is expected that the variety special will be turned into a full series.

All of the major Muppets are said to be returning, including Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear and Gonzo. And according to Deadline, the cast of puppeteers will include Dave Goelz, who has worked with The Muppets for more than 50 years.

Original Theme Song | The Muppet Show | Disney+ - YouTube

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How to watch The Muppet Show

Older readers will no doubt remember The Muppet Show, which aired on ITV from 1976 to 1981 in the UK. However, if you've never managed to catch an episode, and only know the madcap puppets from their numerous movies, all five original seasons are available to watch on Disney+ now.

It's a lesser known fact that their first appearance was actually in two made-for TV specials in the early 70s, and were created more for adult viewing than family – The Muppets Valentine Show and The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence. They're not on Disney+ but you can view them in their entirety on YouTube here and here.

As for a release schedule for the new one-off/pilot, Disney is yet to say and these are early days in its production. So we don't expect to see anything until 2026, really.

So head over to Disney+ and check out the original run in the meantime. You'll be surprised how well the episodes still hold up today.