Matt LeBlanc Is Back as Matt LeBlanc.

When you have starred in one of the most successful television comedies of recent years as well as its less-than-beloved spinoff, what do you do for an encore? Get meta. Matt LeBlanc, who followed 10 seasons on the NBC series ''Friends'' with 46 episodes of the solo project ''Joey,'' will return to television in a new show in which he will play a satirical version of himself. The show, ''Episodes,'' will be jointly produced by Showtime and the BBC, they said on Wednesday in a news release, and is created by David Crane (a co-creator of ''Friends'') and Jeffrey Klarik. It will focus on a British couple whose hit comedy is reworked for American television in a watered-down version starring Mr. LeBlanc. In a statement, Mr. LeBlanc said he was glad he got the role because ''seeing someone else play Matt LeBlanc would have been devastating.'' ''Episodes'' will be produced in London and Los Angeles and will have its debut on Showtime and BBC Two next year. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]