Exclusive: Sony remakes Everybody Loves Raymond in Middle East

US sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond is to be remade in the Middle East after Sony Pictures Television inked its first scripted format deal in the region, TBI has learnt.

The local version of the comedy, which is produced by SPT Arabia, has been licensed to Egypt’s Dream TV, Lebanon’s Murr Television and Saudi Arabian IPTV platform Intigral.

The 30-episode series will star local talent including Sherif Salamah, Layla Taher, Ahmed Khalil and Caroline Khalil.

The scripted format has successfully been licensed in a number of other territories including in Russia through CTC Media, in Poland via TVN and in Israel with Keshet.

The original version of the show aired on CBS between 1996 and 2005 and starred Ray Ramano as a successful writer and family man.

Sony Pictures Television launched its Arabian division, which is run by Ziad Kebbi and Dany Karam, in November 2010, and has offices in Dubai, Cairo and Beirut.