BBC Worldwide Press Releases

The Time Lord turns up in Macedonia, Captain Jack Harkness speaks Hungarian and CGI dinosaurs roar through the Czech Republic. Sci-fi will sweep Central and Eastern Europe as BBC Worldwide signs a deal which sees 114 hours of entertainment from Doctor Who, Torchwood and Primeval being beamed into homes across the region, from Poland and Romania to as far afield as Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia and Montenegro. The sci-fi hits will air on Sony Pictures Television’s AXN SCI-FI and AXN channels.

Eddie Nelson, GM of Sony Pictures Television's networks businesses in the region said: "We are delighted to secure such a fantastic selection of BBC shows for AXN and AXN SCI-FI. The addition of these exciting new titles to our schedule further reinforces our channels’ reputation as the destination for world-class TV entertainment in Central and Eastern Europe."

Matt Smith and Karen Gillan from the new Doctor Who series, Zoe Tapper and Paterson Joseph (Survivors), Gareth David Lloyd (Torchwood) and the full cast of E4’s Misfits (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Antonia Thomas, Lauren Socha, Iwan Rheon, Robert Sheehan) are some of the stars descending on Brighton on Sunday (21Feb) for BBC Worldwide's annual TV market BBC Showcase.

Celebrating the success of British sci fi around the world, BBC Worldwide are hosting a special evening on Sunday entitled Out of this World for over 500 international TV buyers. Brand new to the international market, Misfits has already been snapped up down under, selling to ABC in Australia and C4 in New Zealand. Doctor Who has now sold to over 50 broadcasters, Torchwood to over 35 and ITV’s Primeval has sales of over 40, all distributed by BBC Worldwide. From the Middle East to the Far East, from Latin America to Australasia, British sci fi has landed in most corners of the globe.

• Doctor Who achieved the enviable number one and two spots on iTunes USA last year.
• Primeval and Doctor Who were the top two UK imported programmes in South Korea (July 08/June09). They are also in the top 5 selling programmes for BBC Worldwide in 08/09.
• Survivors has sold to over 20 broadcasters including Romania, Hong Kong and Latin America.
• Misfits, Paradox and The Men in the Moon are three new titles that are being launched to TV buyers at BBC Showcase.
• Torchwood can be seen in countries as far flung as Turkey and Taiwan, Albania and Australia, Iceland and India.

BBC Showcase is the UK's biggest television export event and the only one of its kind in the world to be hosted by a single distributor. More than 500 digibooths will be available for TV buyers to view 1400 hours of programming over the four days, alongside exclusive screenings, premieres and events with some of British television’s biggest names.

"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. British sci-fi’s on a role and there’s a real hunger out there for more," commented Steve Macallister, Managing Director, Sales and Distribution, BBC Worldwide

Photos of actors on the red carpet at BBC Showcase are available from Rob Cable tel: +44 7525 070 502, e-mail: rob@cableimage.com

NOTES TO EDITORS

• BBC Worldwide is the largest distributor in the world outside the USA
• BBC Worldwide sells programmes on behalf of the BBC and independent producers
• BBC Showcase will be held in Brighton from 21st – 24th February 2010
• At BBC Showcase the average buyer sits at their viewing booth for 10 hours a day, for four days, to preview as much British programming as possible
• BBC Worldwide has around 50 000 hours of programming in its catalogue

Caroline Sennitt