NBC and Living in copro first

Continuing its push into acquired reality formats, UK cabsat channel Living TV has signed an exclusive format and coproduction deal with NBC Enterprises for the US makeover-with-a-twist format, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.

Under the deal, Living gets exclusive UK rights to the US version of the show, which is due to air over 12 hours on the NBC-owned cable net Bravo this summer. It will unspool on Living early next year.

The Flextech-owned lifestyle channel will also coproduce a UK version of the format with NBC Studios. Bravo US will get first option to air the UK remake, Flextech's first coproduction with any US network and its most expensive commission to date.

NBC's Leslie Jones and Fred Cohen will exec produce the UK remake, alongside Living TV's commissioning editor Jane Millichip. Three UK indies have been invited to submit pitches for the 10×60' UK commission this month.

Prospect Pictures, Via Digital and Making Time Productions are in the running. Production is due to start over the summer for an autumn transmission date.

The format is a lifestyle show in which five gay men give an {uncultured and crude{ straight man a fashion makeover.

{Queer Eye is many firsts for LivingTV,{ commented channel controller Richard Woolfe. {It brings all aspects of makeover TV into one show, with the brilliant entertaining pink twist. It’s also a first because LivingTV and NBC will produce the show together. We’ve always had a great relationship with NBC.{

The NBC deal also includes rerun rights to two other NBC reality shows: Love Shack and Meet My Folks, both of which will air this autumn.

The Queer Eye acquisition comes soon after Living TV made its first step into the acquired format market earlier this year with the risqué Australian format StripSearch, being produced by TWI Entertainment.