ITV ANNOUNCES KEY U.S. SERIES ACQUISITION

ITV has announced an exclusive UK deal with Buena Vista International Television (BVITV) for the licensing of �Six Degrees,� a new drama from J.J. Abrams, creator of �Lost,� to air on its flagship channels ITV1 and 2, making it the first U.S. series to be aired in primetime on ITV1 in nine years.

�Six Degrees� follows New Yorkers from all walks of life, whose lives unexpectedly become intertwined. The show will air in the U.S. on the ABC Television Network this fall in primetime, immediately following the highly successful network drama, �Grey�s Anatomy.�

The plot explores the fact that anyone on the planet can be connected to any other person through a chain of six people, which means that no one is a stranger... for long. In this hour-long drama, six New Yorkers go about their lives without realizing the impact they�re having on one another. A mysterious web of coincidences will gradually draw these strangers closer, changing the course of their lives forever. Is it fate? Is there a greater force at work? What is guiding us along and connecting our lives?

This intriguing tale of intertwined destinies reminds us that romance, success, peace or forgiveness might be right around the corner, but they can also be lost in an instant. It�s a story that underlines just how small the world really is, and how someone just five meters away might be shaping our future right now.

�Six Degrees� stars Jay Hernandez (�Friday Night Lights�), Erika Christensen (�Flightplan�), Bridget Moynahan (�Sex and the City�), Dorian Missick (�Lucky Number Slevin�), Hope Davis (�About Schmidt�) and Campbell Scott (�The Secret Lives of Dentists�). Its executive producers are J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burk (�Lost,� �Alias�), Stuart Zicherman and Raven Metzner (�Elektra�), and it is produced by Touchstone Television.

Jay Kandola, director of Acquisitions for ITV, said: �My aim was to get brand-defining shows for the ITV Network. I am delighted that �Six Degrees� will be a contemporary exciting new addition to the ITV1 and ITV2 offering.�

Tom Toumazis, executive vice president and managing director, BVITV EMEA, said: �As U.S. series continue to return to primetime around the world, we are delighted to be working with ITV to launch �Six Degrees� in primetime on ITV1. We are sure that the series� production pedigree and strong cast will appeal strongly to a UK audience.�

The agreement was closed by Jay Kandola (director of Acquisitions, ITV) and BVITV�s Catherine Powell, executive director, Sales, UK & Ireland.