Television
December 13, 2007
Virgin 1 Secures Hit Us Drama "Chuck" From Warner Bros. International Television Distribution
(December 13, 2007 – London and Burbank, CA) - Virgin Media Television’s general entertainment channel Virgin1 has secured the exclusive premiere UK rights for hit US series “Chuck” (22x60) from Warner Bros. International Television Distribution. Recently picked up for a full season, and executive produced by “The OC” creator Josh Schwartz and director McG (“Charlie’s Angels”), the series is currently airing in the US on NBC, where it debuted with an impressive 9.2m viewers and, despite being up against “Prison Break,” gave NBC its strongest scripted premiere in the Monday night 20:00 prime-time slot in seven years. “Chuck” will help spearhead Virgin1’s much anticipated Spring/Summer drama schedule when it debuts in 08.
The announcement was made by Amy Barham, Head of Acquisitions for Virgin1, and Jeffrey R. Schlesinger, President, Warner Bros. International Television.
Laced with humour, “Chuck” stars Zachary Levi (“Less Than Perfect”) as “Chuck” Bartowski in the light-hearted story of an ordinary electronics store worker who trades in his pocket protector for a bulletproof vest when he unwittingly downloads an entire server of government secrets into his brain and is pressed into service as a secret agent. Instead of fighting computer viruses, he must now confront assassins and international terrorists. “Chuck” soon finds himself recruited by John Casey (Adam Baldwin of “Day Break”), a veteran NSA Agent, for espionage work with his new partner (and first date in years), CIA agent Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski), leading “Chuck” to live a split life of computer geek and secret NSA agent.
Also starring are Joshua Gomez (“Without a Trace,” “Invasion”) as Morgan Grimes, Chuck's best buddy, and Sarah Lancaster (“What About Brian”) as Chuck's ever-supportive sister, Ellie.
Amy Barham said, “Both action-packed and hilarious, ‘Chuck’ is the perfect show for Virgin 1's audience. We are thrilled to have secured the show as part of our 2008 line up.”
“From the onset, ‘Chuck’ was one of Warner Bros.’ most highly anticipated new series, and it has emerged as one the season’s new hits. We believe that its mix of comedy and high-concept action plays exceptionally well and is a great fit for Virgin1 viewers,” said Jeffrey Schlesinger.
“Chuck” was created by Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak. The series is from College Hill Pictures, Wonderland Sound and Vision in association with Warner Bros. Television.
About Virgin 1
Virgin 1 is a vibrant, honest and gutsy new multiplatform entertainment channel and the first ever Virgin branded TV channel. Packed with top drama premieres, movies, comedy and compelling factual programmes including top US shows The Riches, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, “Chuck”, Boston Legal, The Unit and Star Trek to comedy favourites Seinfeld and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Virgin 1 also has an impressive line-up of home grown shows that include the hard hitting factual series Crime Invasion: Britain’s New Underworld hosted by Rageh Omaar, The Real Exorcist, and controversial one off documentary Penis Envy . In short, Virgin 1 is proper telly.
About Warner Bros. International Television Distribution
Warner Bros. International Television Distribution is one of the world’s largest distributors of feature films, television programs and animation to the international television marketplace (broadcast, pay cable, basic cable, satellite, pay-per-view, video-on-demand, digital platforms, etc.). It licenses some 50,000 hours of programming (including more than 6,000 features and 74 current series), dubbed or subtitled in more than 40 languages, to telecasters and cablecasters in more than 175 countries.
Notes to Editors:
1. VMtv has seven wholly-owned channels – some of the strongest brands in UK multichannel television: LIVING, LIVING2, Bravo, Bravo2, Challenge, Trouble and Virgin 1. VMtv is also BBC Worldwide’s 50% partner in the UKTV portfolio of eleven channels.
2. Virgin 1 builds on the track record of Ftn as VMtv’s free-to-air channel, and the Virgin 1 name will replace Ftn on the EPG. It broadcasts for 12 hours (6pm to 6am) on Freeview, with a 24 hour schedule on Virgin Media and satellite.
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