This hit British show was based on Friends and in turn became the basis for a dreadful NBC version What this?

The British show you're thinking of is "Friends Like These". It was a sitcom that aired on Channel 4 from 1999 to 2002.

The dreadful NBC version was called "Coupling". It ran for three seasons (2003-2006) and received mixed reviews, with many critics finding it to be a pale imitation of the British original.