EXCLUSIVE: The BBC is trying its hand at adapting one of its radio sitcoms for television. I’ve learned that the BBC has given the green-light for a television adaptation of BBC Radio 4’s In and Out of the Kitchen, which has aired two series since November 2011. I’m hearing rumblings that the pilot is under consideration for a slot on BBC Two, but I’ve been unable to confirm that.
UKTV’s Good Food channel is adding another new series to its line up. The channel has announced a new 13 episode series hosted by popular Irish cook Rachel Allen which will combine a passion for food and a need for thrift. The series, titled Rachel Allen’s Everyday Kitchen, is a co-production with Irish public broadcaster RTÉ.
EXCLUSIVE: BBC Three is sticking with its US imports. I’ve now confirmed that BBC Three has picked up the exclusive first run UK broadcast rights to the eleventh season of Fox’s animated series Family Guy and the third season of FX’s comedy series Wilfred from Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution. The acquisitions of the new seasons had been expected as both have been solid performers for the channel. I hear that the new seasons of both series are slated to premiere on BBC Three this Summer.
EXCLUSIVE: BBC Two’s upcoming 90 minute drama The Thirteenth Tale has found another cast member. I’ve learned that Gordon Winter has joined the cast of the one-off, which is set to begin production this June. Winter, whose previous TV credits include The Bill, Real Crime and Friday Night Dinner, has been cast as Aurelius Love, a local villager who befriends lead character Margaret Lea. Winter’s casting comes after TVWise broke the news that Oscar winner Vanessa Redgrave had been cast in the drama in a leading role.
The fifth and final season of The CW’s drama series 90210 will receive its UK premiere on E4 on Monday June 10th at 9pm, it has been announced.
The first season of French drama series The Returned (aka Les Revenants) will receive its UK premiere on Channel 4 on Sunday June 9th at 9pm, it has been announced.
With the LA Screenings – where the big six studios host acquisitions executives from around the globe, screen for them the pilots of their new shows which have been picked up by the big five US networks (ABC, CBS, The CW, Fox and NBC) for next season, all with the hope of securing those lucrative international sales – now behind us, which of next seasons new shows are performing well with international buyers? TVWise continues its coverage of the annual industry event with our studio-by-studio break down of industry intel (from numerous sources) on which shows are hot and those which, frankly, are not.
EXCLUSIVE: NCIS continues to be a big seller for CBS Studios International. Sources tell me that Universal Channel has closed a deal with the distributor to acquire the CBS’ procedural series. I hear that the deal is for multiple seasons of the show. There is no word yet on when the series will launch on Universal Channel, with insiders giving only a vague time-frame of “this Summer.”