'DOCTOR WHO' BACK FOR SEASON TWO ON SCI FI CHANNEL
David Tennant Steps Into the Role of the Tenth Doctor In the Critically-Acclaimed Series from BBC Worldwide
NEW YORK -- August 10, 2006 -� SCI FI Channel and BBC Worldwide Americas today announced a major licensing agreement for the second season of Doctor Who. The series will return to SCI FI on September 29, 2006, kicking off with a two-hour premiere that will include the �Christmas Invasion� special in which David Tennant (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) was introduced as the tenth Time Lord.
Billie Piper returns as the Doctor�s feisty young companion, Rose Tyler, and together they will travel through time and space battling new and returning aliens and monsters.
Chris Regina, Vice President of Programming, SCI FI Channel, said �Our audience has clearly embraced �Doctor Who� and it has delivered a significant increase in viewers in the time period. We are looking forward to keeping the momentum going with David Tennant as the new Doctor.�
Executive Producer and Lead Writer Russell T Davies says, "We were delighted by the first season's success in the US, and can promise new thrills, new laughs, new heartbreak, and some terrifying new aliens in Season Two.�
The deal, brokered by Lisa Hofer, Director Co-Production & Sales, BBC Worldwide Americas, with the SCI FI Channel, grants SCI FI the exclusive first-run rights for Season Two. The first season of the new Doctor Who proved a huge success for SCI FI Channel, delivering an average of 1.5 million viewers each week.
Candace Carlisle, Senior Vice President, BBC Worldwide Americas, commented, �We�re pleased to be able to build on the great relationship we have with the SCI FI Channel. The SCI FI Channel is the perfect broadcast partner to introduce audiences to the new Doctor, David Tennant, and the second season of �Doctor Who.��
BBC Video and SCI FI Channel will continue to work together on joint marketing promotions to support the Doctor Who brand in the US, building on the highly successful Season One marketing campaign.
Burton Cromer, Senior Vice President, Consumer Products, BBC Worldwide Americas said: ��Doctor Who: The Complete First Series� has become our best-selling �Doctor Who� title ever, thanks to Russell T Davies for his brilliant reinvention of �Doctor Who� for the 21st century and to the SCI FI Channel for the incredible on and off-air support they gave the season one DVD release. We look forward to working with them again on Season Two."
vExecutive produced by Russell T Davies (lead writer) and Julie Gardner, the second season of Doctor Who was the most popular program Saturday nights when it aired on BBC ONE in the UK to critical acclaim.
Doctor Who is a BBC production in association with CBC in Canada. It has also been sold to over 25 territories internationally, including Japan (NHK), Thailand (Channel 7), South Korea (KBS2), Australia (ABC), New Zealand (Prime), France (France 4), Spain and Portugal (People & Arts), Denmark (Danmarks Radio), Sweden (SVT), Holland (NOS, Channel 3), Italy (Canal Jimmy), Finland (YLE) and Norway (NRK).
About BBC Worldwide Americas:
BBC Worldwide Limited is the main commercial arm and a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The company exists to maximise the value of the BBC�s assets for the benefit of the licence payer and invest in public service programming in return for rights. The company has seven core businesses: Global Channels, Global TV Sales, Magazines, Content & Production, Home Entertainment, Children's and Digital Media. In 2005/06 BBC Worldwide generated profits of �89 million on sales of �784 million.
About SCI FI:
SCI FI Channel is a television network where "what if" is what's on. SCI FI fuels the imagination of viewers with original series and events, blockbuster movies and classic science fiction and fantasy programming, as well as a dynamic Web site (www.scifi.com ) and magazine. Launched in 1992, and currently in 85 million homes, SCI FI Channel is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies.
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