Bravo picks up Hawaii Five-0

UK digital channel Bravo has acquired CBS Studios-distributed drama Hawaii Five-0, a remake of the classic cop series that aired from 1968 to 1980. The contemporary version of the series will air on US network CBS and has already been bought by Canadian free-to-air broadcaster Global.

Bravo said it had fought off a number of other broadcasters to get Hawaii Five-0. UK free-to-air broadcaster Five was tipped to buy the series but Bravo has ended up taking exclusive pay, digital and Freeview rights.

The deal is the first from a UK broadcaster for one of the shows from this year’s LA Screenings, where Hawaii Five-0 was one of the most talked about pilots.

“Hawaii Five-0 was the stand-out show at this year’s LA Screenings and securing it exclusively for UK audiences demonstrates yet again Bravo’s commitment to owning the very best in primetime US dramas,” said Amy Barham, Virgin Media TV’s head of acquisitions.

Bravo has fared well recently with another US acquisition, Starz Media’s hit series Spartacus: Blood and Sand. The digital net is part of the Virgin Media Television stable of channels, which UK cabler Virgin Media is in the process of selling to pay TV platform BSkyB for £160 million.