News
MIPTV 08: BBC brands head to Italy
Samantha Loveday Apr 9 2008, 5:29pm
Life on Mars and Primeval snapped up by youth channel Rai Due.
Italian channel Rai Due has scooped two British drama series, Life on Mars and Primeval, from BBC Worldwide.
The Italian state broadcaster took the first two seasons of both shows, according to World Screen.
"British drama has definitely had a turnaround with Italian audiences; they find it more appealing, slicker and sexier than they have in the past," said Ben Donald, head of Northern Mediterranean and Russia for BBC Worldwide's global TV sales.
"Until recently, this genre has been hard to sell to Italian broadcasters but we had a major breakthrough earlier with Mediaset, which licensed Robin Hood, and now Rai Due has recognised that our catalogue contains some very original and exciting drama."
Giorgio Buscaglia, head of Rai Due's programming schedule, added: "We are very excited to renew our partnership with BBC Worldwide. We have already acquired two enormous successes - Teletubbies and Fimbles - which proved to be two huge hits with our pre-school viewers. We feel sure to have kick-started a new and peaceful British invasion."
