Criss Angel in Freak China deal

AETN International has sold its first ever entertainment show to China, with state broadcaster CCTV acquiring its hit series Criss Angel – Mindfreak.

AETN has good links with CCTV and regularly sells programming from its factual catalog to the Chinese broadcaster, which has a science and education channel, CCTV 10. But the Criss Angel deal marks the first time it has shopped an entertainment show to CCTV.

"We have just started selling CCTV entertainment content," explains Ling Sze Gan, who heads up programme sales for AETN in Asia. "They have taken Criss Angel and it will air in January. We have already sold the show into Korea, India, Singapore and Hong Kong."

The broadcaster has picked up seasons one and two of the show, which follows illusionist Angel as he performs outlandish stunts and street magic. In the US it is one of the most popular offerings on the A&E Network where four seasons have aired and a fifth is in production.

In China CCTV is expected to air the show on one of its variety/entertainment channels, CCTV 3 or possibly CCTV 5.