David Boreanaz

BBC, Sky, C4 unveil latest US product

Both Sky1 and the BBC have picked up their latest US shows from Twentieth Century Fox TV Distribution, while Channel 4 bags a foursome of titles from Warner Bros and Buena Vista.

The Sky1 deal covers free and pay-TV rights to Bones, which will mark a return to the network for Buffy actor David Boreanaz. The deal was brokered by David Smyth, head of acquisitions, drama and comedy at Sky1 and Rebecca Segal, svp of Sky Networks.

Bones is inspired by real life forensic anthropologist, Kathy Reichs, and stars Emily Deschannel (Boogeyman) as an anthropologist who assists the law with murder investigations when the standard methods of identifying a body fail. Bones is exec produced by Barry Josephson (Hide & Seek) and Hart Hanson (Judging Amy). It will be broadcast on Sky1 in early 2006. Elsewhere, the BBC has secured broadcast rights for comedy How I Met Your Mother (13x25’) for BBC2 and BBC3. The deal was sealed by George McGhee, controller of programme acquisitions for the BBC, and Steve Cornish, svp of Europe at Fox. The series will transmit in the UK in 2006.

The comedy follows a man looking back on his single life from 20 years in the future, as told to his two teenage children. It stars Josh Radnor. Executive producers are Rob Greenberg, Carter L Bays and Craig Thomas, produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television.

The recent slew of UK networks bagging LA Screenings product is also joined by Channel 4, which has confirmed its acquisition of Warner Bros’ supernatural drama Invasion, sitcom The War at Home and murder mystery Reunion for Channel 4 and E4.

Channel 4 has also secured exclusive rights to the well-received new Buena Vista drama What About Brian, which is produced by LA’s showrunner du jour, JJ Abrams (of Lost fame). The show is centred around commitment-phobic, 30-something who is the last of his friends not to marry. What About Brian will launch midseason on ABC in January 2006, while tx dates on Channel 4 and E4 are still to be confirmed.