BBC Worldwide is bringing the new Doctor Who series to Germany through a deal with commercial broadcaster ProSieben. The sale was announced at the closing day of MIPCOM, the international audiovisual content market in Cannes.
ProSieben have licensed both the first series, which starred Christopher Ecclestone and Billie Piper, and the second series, which is currently in production. Russell T Davies' first series of Doctor Who attracted huge ratings and received critical acclaim when it aired on BBC ONE earlier this year.
Announcing the deal, Isabelle Helle, Head of Germany, BBC Worldwide, said: "The series has gained iconic status outside of the UK as well and has already been licensed to broadcasters in sixteen countries worldwide. We are excited that Doctor Who's time travelling will now take him to ProSieben so that viewers in Germany can also enjoy the adventures of the Time Lord and his companions."
ProSieben Head of Programming, Thomas Schultheis, said about the deal: "Doctor Who is one of the most clever and entertaining series to come from Great Britain. The production values are visibly high and Russell T Davies' scripts provide top quality entertainment for a wide range of viewers: from science fiction fans to family audiences."
The series of thirteen 45 minute episodes is likely to start on ProSieben next year. Doctor Who is a co-production of BBC and CBC in Canada. The series has been licensed to a number of territories including Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Hungary, Italy, Korea, Netherlands, New Zealand and Norway.
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