NBC Orders FremantleMedia Comedy Format, Announces Early 07-08 Pickups

BURBANK, January 17: NBC
has ordered six one-hour episodes of FremantleMedia’s improv comedy series Thank
God You’re Here, and has given
early full season pickups for the 2007/2008 season to the hit sitcoms The
Office and My Name is Earl, Dick Wolf’s Law and Order: SVU and this year’s freshman hit Heroes.

Thank God You’re Here from FremantleMedia North America will be hosted
by David Alan Grier with Dave Foley as its resident “judge”. In each episode,
celebrities improvise their way through a variety of sketches that begin with
“Thank God you’re here!”

"This series is
basically every adventurous performer's dream and we think the viewers can
vicariously enjoy how they respond to their unforeseen predicaments," said
Craig Plestis, the SVP of alternative programming, development and specials at
NBC Entertainment. "It has a daring, seat-of-your pants feel that's proven
to be a big hit in its original Australian version."

Launched by FremantleMedia
at MIPTV last year, the format is on the air in ten territories, including The
Netherlands, Germany, Russia, Sweden, the U.K., Portugal, Belgium, Norway,
Israel, Denmark and Australia, its home country, where it was created by
Working Dog Productions.

NBC has also given early
full-season pickups to four series: The Office, My Name is Earl, Law and Order: SVU and Heroes. Kevin Reilly, the president of NBC Entertainment, commented,
"These four series represent some of the best of what we consider to be
the 'NBC brand' of quality shows. It is a pleasure to give them an early
renewal to develop more stories for next year since we know they will remain
both critical and commercial successes for a long time to come."

The Office is delivering a 4.2 rating, 11 share in 18-49 and
8.7 million viewers. My Name Is Earl is averaging a 4.0 rating, 11 share in 18-49 and 9.5 million viewers.
Heroes is NBC's highest-rated
first-year drama in 18-49 in 12 years, since ER debuted in 1994. Through January 7, it was
averaging a 6.8 rating, 16 share in adults 18-49 and 15.3 million viewers
overall. And Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is averaging a 4.3 rating, 12 share in adults 18-49
and 12.9 million viewers overall, making it NBC's number 2 drama in total
viewers.