AXN Channels Score BBC Worldwide Fare for CEE Feed

BRIGHTON: BBC Worldwide has licensed 114 hours of Doctor Who, Torchwood and Primeval to Sony Pictures Television’s AXN SCI-FI and AXN channels in Central and Eastern Europe.

BBC Worldwide made the announcement as BBC Showcase kicked off in Brighton, featuring talent such as Matt Smith and Karen Gillan from the new Doctor Who series, Zoe Tapper and Paterson Joseph from Survivors, Gareth David Lloyd from Torchwood and the full cast of E4’s Misfits (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Antonia Thomas, Lauren Socha, Iwan Rheon, Robert Sheehan).

The festivities opened last night with an evening titled Out of this World for more than 500 international TV buyers. Titles showcased included Misfits, which has sold to ABC in Australia and C4 in New Zealand; Doctor Who, sold to over 50 broadcasters; Torchwood, licensed to more than 35 channels; and ITV’s Primeval, which has clinched deals with some 40 outlets.

“Our sci-fi content offers pure escapism for the viewer, perhaps more so than any other genre—this is exactly what people are looking for in troubled times," said Steve Macallister, the managing director of sales and distribution for BBC Worldwide. "British sci-fi’s on a role and there’s a real hunger out there for more.”