Linney set for offbeat comedy pilot about cancer

LOS ANGELES -- Laura Linney is taking on an offbeat role in a new TV comedy -- a woman who is diagnosed with cancer.

Showtime said Thursday that Linney will star in and executive produce the half-hour show, "The C Word," with the pilot episode to be shot this fall.

The cable channel says the series will delve into the life of a suburban wife and mother as she confronts her illness and finds the light side in a dark situation.

In a statement, the Emmy Award-winning Linney said she's excited to tackle such "potentially rich, funny and complicated material."