TORONTO – Bell Media announced today big-ticket acquisitions made for its Entertainment Specialties at the L.A. Screenings last month.
Led by the acquisition of The Royals starring Elizabeth Hurley (Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me), the nine, exclusive, big-buzz series, further position the suite of channels as must-watch destinations, reads the release. New comedy series acquired include some of the funniest that screened in L.A.: Angie Tribeca from Steve and Nancy Carell and starring Rashida Jones; courtroom comedy Benched; and from the creators of Will & Grace, Buzzy’s, set in a barbershop in a working-class suburb of Boston and starring perennial favourite, George Wendt (Cheers). Bell Media also secured sensational dramas Proof, a serialized supernatural drama starring Jennifer Beals (The L Word) and Matthew Modine (Weeds); medical dramas Rush and Complications; comedies Younger starring Sutton Foster and featuring Hilary Duff; and Jennifer Falls starring Jaime Pressly (Raising Hope).
“We are confident that the series we acquired in L.A., will continue the tremendous growth we’ve seen across our entertainment specialty brands in the last year,” said Catherine MacLeod, senior vice-president, specialty channels and Bell Media Production. “Our new dramas, including The Royals, the first original scripted drama for E!, are poised to become water-cooler favourites this year, and our new comedies are hilarious.”
