Sacha Baron Cohen is to play Sherlock Holmes in a remake of the Conan Doyle classic, with Will Ferrell playing his sidekick Watson. Holmes becomes a home boy? If comedy really is – sorry about this – the new rock and roll, then Baron Cohen is at the forefront of the latest British invasion. Our comedians seem to be taking Hollywood by storm. Steve Coogan has various projects in the pipeline, Ricky Gervais is currently working on his directorial debut This Side of the Truth featuring Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner, and Simon Pegg stars opposite Kirsten Dunst this autumn in How to Lose Friends and Alienate People.

Which is all very nice for the British clowns' egos, but those with long memories will know that we've been here before. In the eighties and early nineties comedy's first alternative comedians looked set to take America by storm too. Rik Mayall attempted to be the British Robin Williams in Drop Dead Fred, Lenny Henry opted for the multi-part Eddie Murphy approach in True Identity. Alexei Sayle went all serious in Gorky Park, while Robbie Coltrane worked with Disney on The Adventures of Huck Finn. None of them ever quite made it mega.

This time it might be different. There seems to be a growing mutual appreciation society between America's top comedy talents, Seth Rogan, Judd Apatow and Ben Stiller, and these snaggle-toothed Brits, creating a real weight of momentum. Stiller appeared in Extras, Coogan has worked regularly with Owen Wilson. Seth Rogan called Simon Pegg's Spaced the best thing to come out of Britain since Churchill. Coogan and Baron Cohen have also notched up credibility points by appearing in Curb Your Enthusiasm. And, of course, Borat was a big hit and Baron Cohen is currently finishing up a film featuring his idiotic fashionista Bruno. If talent doesn't do it a lot of face-pulling might help. If the praise doesn't go to their heads the invasion could actually work.