Former NCIS star Michael Weatherly is staying put on FOX UK.
The Fox Networks Group owned and operated channel has acquired the exclusive first run UK broadcast rights to Weatherly’s new CBS series Bull after striking a deal with international distributor CBS Studios International, TVWise has learned.
This multi-season licensing agreement, which was brokered by FOX’s Toby Etheridge, further extends the relationship between the channel and CBS Studios International, who have a long-standing agreement for first window rights to NCIS. Both Bull and the fourteenth season of NCIS will premiere on FOX UK in early 2017.
Inspired by the early career of Dr Phil, Bull follows Dr. Bull (Michael Weatherly), the ultimate puppet master as he combines psychology, human intuition and high tech data to learn what makes jurors, attorneys, witnesses and the accused tick. The drama series, which was recently picked up for a full season, is produced by CBS Television Studios. Freddy Rodriguez, Geneva Carr, Chris Jackson, Jaime Lee Kirchner and Annabelle Attanasio also star.
“FOX’s audience love Michael Weatherly in NCIS and they are going to love him in the U.S.’s #1 new drama, BULL,” said Stephen Tague, Senior Vice President, Europe, CBS Studios International. “Demand in the U.K. for quality television programming has never been higher and we are proud that CBS content on FOX is so popular with its audience in this very important territory.”
At FOX UK, Bull joins a growing slate of first run acquisitions that also includes AMC’s The Walking Dead, French thriller Braquo, the aforementioned CBS drama NCIS, FX’s horror anthology series American Horror Story, Robert Kirkman’s Cinemax series Outcast, TBS animated comedy American Dad and Fox’s summer drama Wayward Pines. FOX UK also recently secured exclusive rights to the upcoming Marvel series Legion.
“FOX UK is committed to bringing our viewers the best, first, so we’re thrilled to be able to premiere smash-hit U.S. drama Bull in the UK”, added Toby Etheridge, Fox Networks Group UK’s Head of Programming. “British fans of Michael Weatherly will love this slick new legal series, which is both thought-provoking and entertaining, and we’re pleased to add Bull to our powerful new schedule for FOX, which includes first run NCIS, American Horror Story, Legion and the global phenomenon, The Walking Dead.”
