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Showtime Networks Acquires British Hit Series Secret Diary of a Call Girl
Series is an IMG/Tiger Aspect/Silverapples Media/ARG Production
NEW YORK, Dec. 17 -- Showtime Entertainment President
Robert Greenblatt announced today the network will premiere a provocative
half-hour comedy series, SECRET DIARY OF A CALL GIRL. Taken from best
selling, real life diaries, this eye-opening insight into the life of a
high-end call girl leading a double life became an immediate ratings winner
in the United Kingdom. SHOWTIME will air the first season's 8 half-hour
episodes beginning in Spring or Summer 2008, with a commitment for an
additional 12 episodes.
One of the UK's leading young actresses Billie Piper takes on the
challenging lead role. To her friends and family she is Hannah, a legal
secretary clocking in regular hours and enjoying a "normal" life. To her
clients, she is Belle, the answer to all of their fantasies. Her challenge
is to keep her two lives separate. Inevitably they begin to blur.
The real Belle (whom the charismatic Piper met and worked closely with
pre-and during production) published her diaries in 2005 and, despite many
attempts to discover her true identity, remains anonymous.
"When Chris Albrecht called me to take a look at this show we were
intrigued," said Greenblatt. "Initially we thought we should make an
American version of it, but we fell in love with the original episodes,
were captivated by Billie Piper's Belle, and decided to bring it to
SHOWTIME as is. American audiences will be transfixed by the series
poignant, sexy, comedy meets drama elements and the series' will fit in
perfectly with our line-up of original programming. It is also a pleasure
to be back in business with my old friend Chris."
"We are delighted to be partnering with Showtime to bring this highly
successful and provocative series to a U.S. audience," said Chris Albrecht,
head of global media for IMG. "We are particularly proud of the role that
Tiger Aspect Productions, an IMG-owned production company, has played in
the production of this show, now entering its second season of production
in the U.K."
The "Secret Diary of a Call Girl" series is Belle's frank account of
her experiences -- at times shocking and risque and sometimes simply
hilarious -- brought to life by Piper and a colorful and talented
supporting cast. Each episode allows the audience an illuminating glimpse
behind the scenes of the high-class sex trade, generating much debate and
discussion. The dynamic drama explores the life of a heroine who struggles
with personal and moral issues-with some rather naughty adventures along
the way. The series premiered in Fall 2007 on British digital channel ITV2,
with more than 2 million viewers on hand for the opening episode.
SECRET DIARY OF A CALL GIRL is an IMG/Tiger Aspect/Silverapples Media/
ARG production.
About Showtime Networks Inc.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS
Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME(R),
THE MOVIE CHANNEL(TM) and FLIX(R), as well as the multiplex channels
SHOWTIME(R) TOO(TM), SHOWTIME(R) SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME(R), SHOWTIME
BEYOND(R), SHOWTIME NEXT(R), SHOWTIME WOMEN(R), SHOWTIME FAMILYZONE(R) and
TMC XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD(R), THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD(TM),
SHOWTIME ON DEMAND(TM) and THE MOVIE CHANNEL ON DEMAND(TM). All SNI feeds
provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI is also an owner and
manager of SUNDANCE CHANNEL(R), a venture of NBC Universal, Robert Redford
and SNI. In addition, SNI manages and is the principal owner of Smithsonian
Networks(TM), a venture with the Smithsonian Institution, which was formed
to create networks showcasing scientific, cultural and historical
programming. SNI is also the principal owner of On Broadband Networks LLC,
a broadband game service provider, and OurChart.com LLC, provider of
OurChart.com(TM), a social networking website featuring elements from the
SHOWTIME hit series "The L Word(R)". SNI also markets and distributes
sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a
pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME(R) PPV and is an equity investor in
ProElite Inc., a Mixed Martial Arts event promotion company
About IMG
IMG is the world's premier sports, entertainment and media enterprise.
IMG's media and entertainment operations include content production
subsidiaries Darlow Smithson Productions, Tiger Aspect Productions and
Tigress. Globally, IMG produces and distributes more than 11,000 hours of
sports, documentary, drama, comedy, entertainment, popular factual and
children's content annually. IMG also represents the broadcast rights to
many of the world's premier sporting events and has the world's largest
sports archive with more than 250,000 hours of footage.
Forstmann Little & Co. purchased IMG in 2004.
About Tiger Aspect Productions
Tiger Aspect Productions, an IMG Media company, is internationally
recognised as one of the UK's most successful and prolific independent
television producers. The company portfolio includes animation, comedy,
drama, entertainment and factual genres. Tiger creates a wide range of
critically acclaimed and award-winning programming for all the UK's major
terrestrial and non-terrestrial broadcasters.
About Silverapples Media
Silverapples Media optioned the original Belle de Jour blog and book
and brought the project to Tiger Aspect. Silverapples specializes in
Feature Documentaries -- (the award-winning Shadowing, The Third Man,
Forever Ealing), Music, (Celtic Woman, Frankenstein, Series for PBS) and is
now working in Feature Film and developing further drama projects.
About ARG Limited
ARG Limited, a member of the All3Media Group, is a leading talent
agency which in recent years has produced for ITV The Crooked Man starring
Ross Kemp and Ahead of the Class starring Julie Walters.
SOURCE Showtime
http://www.SHO.com
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