It was announced today (25th September 2009) that Avalon Distribution has sold LEE MACK’S Royal Television Society and Rose D’Or award-winning Not Going Out to Japan’s WOWOW and Sweden’s TV4. These most recent sales bring the total number of countries that have picked up the show to over 120, adding to deals previously brokered with Comedy Central in the UK, BBC America, Australia’s Seven, New Zealand’s TVNZ and BBC Global channels.
Today’s news consolidates a busy year for Avalon Distribution who has made sales across their extensive sketch show portfolio. Highlights from the last 12 months include: the sale of ITV1’s acclaimed Al Murray’s Multiple Personality Disorder to broadcasters in Norway and Central Europe; the sale of BAFTA-winning The Sketch Show to TV4 Komedi, Sweden and the show’s re-license to public broadcaster NRK, Norway; the sale of Rose D’Or nominated Touch Me, I’m Karen Taylor sale to commercial broadcaster TV2, Norway; and a further sale for multi-award-winning Not Going Out, to BBC Global Channel’s South American network.
Not Going Out, co-written by BAFTA-winning comic LEE MACK and produced by Avalon Television, first aired on BBC ONE in 2006, with a second and third series broadcast in consecutive years. The sitcom, centring on the lives of Lee (LEE MACK), his flatmates and his best friend Tim (TIM VINE), has been acclaimed by the press for its high gag rate and traditional comedy format. Notably, the sitcom is recorded in HDTV.
ends
“Lee Mack's comedy Not Going Out turned into one of the most laugh-aloud comedies on screen in aeons. The ubiquitous shots of buildings lend it a distinctly American feel, but it is the tightness of the scripts with quite complex gags built up over conversations - particularly between Lee and his friend Tim - that make it so different.”
Jaci Stephen, The Mail on Sunday
For more information please contact Jo Cross or Dan Lloyd at Avalon Public Relations
Tel: +44 (0)20 7598 7222 or E-mail: joc@avalonuk.com or danl@avalonuk.com
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AVALON DISTRIBUTION
Avalon Distribution specialises in completed programme and format sales for Avalon Television, Liberty Bell Productions and Tinderbox Television. Recent deals include: sales of Avalon Television’s BBC ONE, Royal Television Society and Rose D’Or award-winning sitcom Not Going Out to over 120 countries worldwide; a succession of international sales to over 25 territories of Liberty Bell Production’s critically acclaimed Channel 4 factual-entertainment series Willie’s Wonky Chocolate Factory; the sale of Avalon Television’s acclaimed BBC THREE sketch show Touch Me, I’m Karen Taylor to be made for RTL, Germany’s biggest channel; and another format sale to Germany of the Grumpy format, adding to sales of the original programmes to over 20 countries worldwide.
Avalon Distribution is part of the Avalon Group, which was launched in 1989. Avalon comprises seven key companies: Avalon Management Group Ltd (artistic representation), Avalon Promotions Ltd, (promotions company and live bookings agency), Avalon Television Ltd (production company), Avalon Public Relations Ltd (public relations and marketing company), Liberty Bell (production company), Tinderbox Television (format development specialists) and Avalon Distribution.