The U.S. mini-series The Bible was a No. 1 show on all of Sunday night cable television in America since its first installment five weeks before Easter garnering more than 10 million viewers on The History Channel each weekend.
U.K. network broadcaster Channel 5 announced Monday it has bought the right to five-part 10-hour TV show that combines live action and computer-generated imagery to tell Bible stories originating from the book of Genesis to Revelations.
"The show has been nothing short of a sensation, watched by millions of people in the states. To have it on Channel 5 is incredibly exciting - these are stories that can’t fail to draw you in," said Marie-Claire Dunlop, manager of Channel 5 acquisitions & channel.
The Bible, which stars Diogo Morgado as Jesus, devotes five hours to the Old Testament, and five hours to the new. It is billed as a production that "tries to stay true to the spirit of the book".
“The Bible” is produced by reality TV king Mark Burnett, three-time Emmy Award winner, and his wife Roma Downey, actress of Touched by an Angel.
Burnett, who is the man behind hit shows like “Survivor,” “The Apprentice” and “The Voice,” considers the scripted 10-hour series to be the “most important” project he has undertaken.
