Merlin Heads to Syfy

February 4, 2010 World Screen

NEW YORK: Syfy in the U.S. has secured a deal with FremantleMedia Enterprises for the basic cable rights to all 26 episodes of the BBC One series Merlin, the first season of which last year ran on NBC.

Syfy has scored seasons one and two of the Shine production—the 13 episodes of season two will be making their U.S. premiere on the channel—for launch in April.

Thomas Vitale, executive VP of programming and original movies at Syfy, noted: “A viewer favorite after only one season, Merlin will be a strong addition to our schedule this spring. We expect its enthralling imaginative vision, engaging young talent, and rich production values to resonate with our audience.”

Lisa Honig, FME’s senior VP of program distribution at North America, added, “Merlin has been a great success internationally with fans in more than 180 countries. Partnering with Syfy to continue that engagement in the US after a successful first series is a win-win for everyone.”

A third season of Merlin is slated to air on BBC One this September.