Sundance Channel Acquires U.S. Pay Television Rights to Australia's Most Successful Comedy 'Kath & Kim'

Sundance Channel Acquires U.S. Pay Television Rights to Australia's Most Successful Comedy 'Kath & Kim'

Geoffrey Rush, Kylie Minogue and Rachel Griffiths to Guest Star in Season Three Premiering December 2005

NEW YORK, April 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Sundance Channel has acquired U.S. pay television rights to three seasons of the Australian hit comedy "Kath & Kim." The series was ABC TV's (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) most popular program in 2002, 2003 and 2004 and is considered to be the most successful Australian television comedy series ever. Sundance Channel will premiere the third season in December 2005 and reprise seasons one and two in early 2006. The first two seasons of "Kath & Kim" have aired on Trio.

Laura Michalchyshyn, Executive Vice President, Programming and Marketing, Sundance Channel said of the buy, "Kath & Kim is a distinctive, and frankly fun, addition to our 2005 line up. We are delighted to bring all three seasons to the Sundance Channel audience who will be drawn in by the unique and idiosyncratic storytelling and enthralled by the exceptional talents of the creators and stars of this hilarious show."

In "Kath & Kim," a reality-TV style camera follows mother Kath and daughter Kim as they go about their lives in the fictitious Melbourne suburb of Fountain Lakes. Kath Day (Jane Turner) is a forty-something empty nester who enjoys keeping fit and spending time with her hot new husband Kel (Glenn Robbins). Her daughter Kim (Gina Riley) is a pouting princess whose glass of Chardonnay is always half empty rather than half full. She terrorizes her husband Brett (Peter Rowsthorn) and her second best friend Sharon (Magda Szubanski) with her delusions of grandeur. They are the suburban nightmare living the suburban dream.

Special celebrity guests featured in season three include Academy Award(R) and Golden Globe(R) winner Geoffrey Rush, Grammy Award(R) winner Kylie Minogue, and Golden Globe winner Rachel Griffiths.

Season 3 was created and written by Gina Riley and Jane Turner and directed by Ted Emery. Executive Producers are Turner, Riley and Rick McKenna. Executive Producer for ABC is Robyn Kershaw. Laura Waters is co- producer. "Kath & Kim" is produced by Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Riley Turner Productions.

Under the creative direction of Robert Redford, Sundance Channel brings television viewers daring and engaging feature films, shorts, documentaries, world cinema and animation, shown uncut and with no commercials. Through its original films, Sundance Channel connects viewers with filmmakers, the creative process, and the world of independent film. Launched in 1996, Sundance Channel is a venture between NBC Universal, Robert Redford, and Showtime Networks Inc. Sundance Channel operates independently of the non-profit Sundance Institute and the Sundance Film Festival, but shares the overall Sundance mission of supporting independent artists and providing them with wider opportunities to present their work to audiences. Sundance Channel's website address is http://www.sundancechannel.com/.

Source: Sundance Channel

CONTACT: Sarah Eaton, +1-212-654-1613, sarah.eaton@sundancechannel.com, or Katie Lanegran, +1-212-654-3398, katie.lanegran@sundancechannel.com, both of Sundance Channel

Web site: http://www.sundancechannel.com/

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