Channel 4 buys Grammer comedy

Channel 4 has purchased the UK rights to a Kelsey Grammer comedy in which the Frasier star plays a TV newsreader on a local US station.

In Back to You, Grammer appears as a Pittburgh newsreader who works alongside his ex-girlfriend, played by Everybody Loves Raymond actress Patricia Heaton.

The action follows the pair's attempts to return their newscast to the top of the TV ratings.

The series, which is likely to be shown on Channel 4 next year, has been created, written and executive produced by Steven Levitan, who worked on Frasier, and Christopher Lloyd, whose credits include Frasier and The Golden Girls.

Channel 4's purchase of Back to You was unveiled today by Jeff Ford, the broadcaster's director of acquisitions, and Steve Cornish, the senior vice-president and managing director of Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution.

Earlier this month Channel 4 bought Warner Bros' comedy Big Bang Theory, a series about two "science geeks" who move in together and find themselves living next door to a sexy female neighbour. Big Bang Theory, in which the neighbour helps the two men with their hapless love lives, will make its Channel 4 debut next year.

In other recent deals, ITV purchased CBS series Swingtown, which features This Life actor Jack Davenport; and Cane, starring The West Wing's Jimmy Smits, which is expected to air on digital channel ITV3.

ITV is also thought to be closing in on deals to buy Gossip Girl, a new US drama from The OC creator Josh Schwartz, and NBC's remake of The Bionic Woman, which stars former EastEnder Michelle Ryan.

Channel Five was the first UK broadcaster to make a purchase from the latest crop of US shows unveiled at the recent LA Screenings.

Five snapped up the terrestrial and digital rights to Californication, the dark comedy in which X-Files star David Duchovny plays a struggling writer dealing with a wealthy but immoral New York family.

Source: Media Guardian