BBC3 eyes U.S version of ‘The Voice’

LONDON — The BBC is poised to finalize a deal to purchase the U.S version of “The Voice,” the Talpa talent show.The series is being lined up to air on youth-friendly digital web BBC3, with a likely transmission date in the first half of next year. “We will show it once the U.K. adaptation of ‘The Voice’ airs on BBC1,” stated BBC3 controller Zai Bennett. “The first episode of the U.S. version of ‘The Voice’ is one of the most pleasing shows I’ve ever seen and is perfect for our audience,” added Bennett talking to the Broadcasting Press Guild. “Christina Aguilera was fantastic and I know that people who watch BBC3 will love her.”Bennett, who joined the corp. earlier this year from ITV to run BBC3, stressed that his web was still in the market for U.S. shows. This is despite cuts to the BBC’s acquisitions budget. “Seventy per cent of BBC3′s schedule has to be original U.K. shows so that only leaves 30% for imports,” stated Bennett. “Acquisitions are cost effective for us, but the shows have to be right for BBC3.”One of BBC3′s most popular shows is the edgy U.S. toon “Family Guy,” and the web also airs U.S. movies.But unusually for a channel pitched squarely at the 16-34 demographic, BBC3 spends significant amounts of coin on British produced comedies and documentaries. Break-out U.K. comedy hits “Little Britain” and “Gavin and Stacey” both made their debuts on BBC3 before being promoted to more mainstream U.K. BBC webs.

Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

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Submited at Wednesday, November 30th, 2011 at 6:01 pm on Television by robert
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