Courteney Cox to return to TV in new comedy

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 14 (UPI) -- Courteney Cox reportedly has a new Fox series in the works.

The 51-year-old actress will develop and star on a new comedy about a woman (Cox) who inherits her late billionaire husband's charity. The character subsequently discovers "changing the world is far less glamorous than she imagined."

The Office writer Robert Padnick will pen the script, with Episodes director James Griffith to helm the pilot episode and executive produce. Cox, Padnick and Cougar Town producer Thea Mann will co-executive produce.

Cox, who is best known for playing Monica Geller on the NBC sitcom Friends, last portrayed Jules Cobb on Cougar Town. The ABC/TBS series co-starred Christa Miller and Busy Philipps and came to a close after six seasons in March.

Griffith collaborated with Cox's former Friends co-star Matt LeBlanc on Episodes. Cox, LeBlanc, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer will reunite for an NBC special honoring James Burrows.

"I've had a nice career," Cox told Elle magazine in April. "I've been lucky to have been on successful television series that have spanned for 16 years. Sixteen solid years of television is a lot, but I have more roles to play. I'm not done yet."

Cox, who directed several episodes of Cougar Town, made her feature film directorial debut with Just Before I Go starring Seann William Scott in April. She will next star in the drama Mothers Day with Susan Sarandon and Sharon Stone.