ABC PICKS UP FULL SEASON OF HIT REALITY SERIES "WIFE SWAP"

Two Specials, "Husband Swap" and "Boss Swap," Also Set to Air This Season

The ABC Television Network has picked up the season's most successful new reality series-"Wife Swap"-for the full season of 22 episodes, it was announced today by Andrea Wong, executive vice president, Alternative Programming, Specials and Late-Night, ABC Entertainment. Two of the 22 episodes airing are specials that give a twist to the original format -- "Boss Swap," in which two very different managers swap occupations and managerial styles, and "Husband Swap," in which the husbands this time, not the wives, get to trade families and homes for two weeks.

"I'm so proud of this show," said Ms. Wong. "It has proven to be everything we hoped for -- creatively, critically and in the ratings. Thanks to RDF Media's great casting and production, we know the rest of the season is going to be fantastic."

A reality show unlike any other, "Wife Swap" presents two families with very different values who take part in a two-week challenge in which the wives from the two families exchange husbands, children and lives (but not bedrooms) to discover what it's like to live a very different woman's life. It's a mind-blowing experiment that often changes their lives forever.

"Wife Swap" has consistently defeated NBC's veteran drama "Law & Order" among Adults 18-34. On its debut telecast (9/29/04), "Wife Swap" beat "Law & Order" in Adults 18-49, and on average, the ABC and NBC shows are nearly tied in the hour in the key young adult sales demographic (4.4/11 vs. 4.5/11). "Wife Swap" ranks No. 1 in its time period among Women 18-34 (5.5/15 - tied with CBS' "C.S.I.: NY.") Versus the same weeks last year, "Wife Swap" improves ABC's performance in the hour by 25% in Total Viewers (10.0 million vs. 8.0 million) and by 52% in Adults 18-49 (4.4/11 vs. 2.9/8).

When "Wife Swap" first premiered in the UK in 2003, the series became an instant sensation and the country's most talked-about television show. The smash hit has won numerous awards, including the prestigious BAFTA Award for best reality show, and the Golden Rose-Europe's top entertainment television award-presented at the International Rose D'Or Festival. Now in its third season, the show currently airs everywhere from France to Australia, and Denmark to New Zealand. It has been sold as an acquisition or a format in more than twenty international territories.

"Wife Swap" was nominated this week for a People's Choice Award in the Favorite Reality Program (Other) category. Coincidentally, this week it also won the UK equivalent to the People's Choice Award, the UK's National Television Award voted by a nationwide poll of viewers.

"Wife Swap" is an RDF Media production. It was created by Stephen Lambert and is executive-produced by Lambert and Jenny Crowther of RDF Media ("Faking It" and "Junkyard Wars") and Michael Davies of Diplomatic ("Who Wants to Be a Millionaire"). Wendy Roth is the co-executive producer.