Virgin1 Scores Two British Series from the BBC

LONDON, April
2: Virgin Media Television’s entertainment channel Virgin1 has picked up two
hit British series from BBC Worldwide: Hustle and Room 101.

The deal covers
12 one-hour episodes (seasons one and two) of Hustle and 25 episodes (seasons two, six and
seven) of the half-hour comedy series Room 101. The acquisition is in line with the network’s
efforts to ramp up its British content offerings.

Hustle, from the makers of Spooks and writer Tony Jordan, follows the
fortunes of a gang of five expert cons on the loose in London who attempt to
dupe money out of their victims. It originally aired on BBC One in February
2004. Room 101 is
based on the radio series of the same name in which celebrities are invited to
discuss their hates with the host in order to have them consigned to the
eponymous chamber from the novel 1984. The show airs on BBC Two.

Amy Barham, the
head of acquisitions at Virgin1, said: “V1's approach to acquisitions is always
with an eye to finding elements which will appeal to a British audience and
this new deal marks the next phase of this. It is our mission to hand pick the
best in classic British programming, and Hustle and Room 101 are just that; iconic, entertaining shows that
have a uniquely British feel, perfect for Virgin1.”

—By
Mansha Daswani