‘Doctor Doctor.’
UKTV, the UK’s biggest multi-channel network, has bought the first two seasons of Easy Tiger’s Doctor Doctor.
The medical drama starring Rodger Corser as a troubled former heart surgeon will premiere on UKTV channel Drama on April 5 at 9pm, retitled The Heart Guy.
The international arm of FremantleMedia (which owns the majority stake in Easy Tiger) sold the show to UKTV, a joint venture between BBC Worldwide and Discovery Communications’ Scripps Networks Interactive.
The top-rating Australian drama series last year, the Nine Network has renewed the show produced by Ian Collie, Claudia Karvan and Tony McNamara for a third season.
The cast also includes Nicole da Silva, Steve Bisley, Ryan Johnson, Tina Bursill, Hayley McElhinney, Matt Castley, Chloe Bayliss, Charles Wu, Belinda Bromilow and Brittany Clark.
Emma Sparks, UKTV’s head of acquisitions, said: “We are delighted to extend our relationship with Fremantle. The Heart Guy launched to an outstanding reception in Australia and we are excited to be bringing the charming characters of Whyhope to the UK.”
Last year FMI sold the series (also retitled The Heart Guy) to German pay TV broadcaster Sky Deutschland and to Polyband, which released the show on physical and digital media in German-speaking Europe.
“It’s terrific to get a deal with a major UK broadcaster,” Collie tells IF. “Sky Deutschland loved the show and it did well for them.”
The third series is being scripted and is due to start shooting on April 30. Meanwhile Collie is immersed in season 5 of Rake and the second Jack Irish series, both for the ABC.
Mark Joffe, Kriv Stenders and Fiona Banks are each directing two episodes of Jack Irish. One storyline will see Guy Pearce’s character travel to India to investigate the death of a student during trials for a new drug.