Only a week after Daily Variety reported that Australia's Seven Network had passed on U.S. hit "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," ending negotiations for rights to the show as well as format rights for an Australian version, The Hollywood Reporter says that NBC Enterprises has now closed a deal with Australia's Network Ten broadcaster instead.
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In announcing its decision to pass on the program last week, Seven Network's programming director had told Variety that costs and long-term franchise viability where key factors in its decision to end negotiations for the series. "Given we have the rights to a makeover program, 'What Not To Wear,' which is performing strongly in the U.K. and the U.S., and other concepts which we believe offer significant potential, we have taken the view that the cost of 'Queer Eye' outweighs the eventual value of this concept -- in particular its viability as a long-term franchise," programming and production director Tim Worner told Variety.
Australia now joins the U.K. and Scandinavia as countries where NBC has sold the rights to the U.S. episodes as well as the format rights to produce local versions of the show.
The "Fab Five"'s world takeover continues... and ousted "culture guy" Blair Boone's frustration no doubt continues to grow.
