5USA ACQUIRES HIT U.S. SERIES “BULL” FROM CBS STUDIOS INTERNATIONAL

5USA ACQUIRES HIT U.S. SERIES “BULL” FROM CBS STUDIOS INTERNATIONAL

   LONDON and AMSTERDAM – May 23, 2017 – Channel 5 and CBS Studios International announced today a licensing agreement for the exclusive free-to-air broadcast rights to the #1 new series on U.S. television, BULL. The hit drama will premiere on 5USA in summer 2017.

BULL, starring NCIS alum Michael Weatherly as the brilliant, brash and charming Dr. Bull, is inspired by the early career of TV’s most famous therapist, Dr. Phil McGraw, the founder of one of the most prolific trial consulting firms of all time. Dr. Bull is the ultimate puppet master as he combines psychology, human intuition and high tech data to learn what makes jurors, attorneys, witnesses and the accused tick.

Katie Keenan, Head of Acquisitions for Channel 5 and VIMN UK, said, “Michael Weatherly has an army of fans for his work on NCIS, and I’m thrilled that Channel 5 is able to bring his brand new series to the U.K. Our 5USA audience loves gripping U.S. drama, and I can’t wait for them to meet Dr. Jason Bull.”

Stephen Tague, Senior Vice President, Europe for CBS Studios International, said, “We are thrilled to bring BULL, the #1 new series on U.S. television, to U.K. free-to-air audiences. BULL landing on 5USA further strengthens our relationship with Channel 5 and complements the network’s impressive slate of existing CBS programming.”

Starring alongside Michael Weatherly in BULL is Benny Colón (Freddy Rodriguez), a lawyer who acts as the defense attorney in the company’s mock trials; Marissa Morgan (Geneva Carr), a cutting-edge neurolinguistics expert from the department of homeland security; former NYPD detective Danny James (Jaime Lee Kirchner), the firm’s tough but relatable investigator; haughty millennial hacker Cable McCrory (Annabelle Attanasio), who is responsible for gathering cyber intelligence; and Chunk Palmer (Chris Jackson), a fashion-conscious stylist and former All-American lineman who fine-tunes clients’ appearances for trial. In high-stakes trials, Bull’s combination of remarkable insight into human nature, three Ph.D.’s and top-notch staff creates winning strategies that tip the scales of justice in his clients’ favor.

BULL is produced by CBS Television Studios in association with Amblin Television and Stage 29 Productions and is distributed internationally by CBS Studios International. Mark Goffman, Paul Attanasio, Dr. Phil McGraw, Steven Spielberg, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Jay McGraw and Rodrigo Garcia (pilot only) serve as executive producers.

About Channel 5:

Channel 5 launched as Britain's fifth public service channel in March 1997. It reaches 4 in 5 of the UK viewing public each month with a broad mix of popular content. Sister channels 5*, 5USA and Spike complement Channel 5 with a mix of original commissions, and acquired entertainment and U.S. drama, while Demand 5 is a free catch up service available across multiple platforms and devices. In 2014, Channel 5 was the only major commercial free-to-air network to grow audience share across the most valuable TV audiences. Since September 2014, Channel 5 has been owned by Viacom International Media Networks.

About CBS Studios International

CBS Studios International is the leading supplier of programming to the international television marketplace, licensing to more than 200 markets in more than 60 languages across multiple media platforms. The division distributes content from CBS Television Studios, CBS Television Distribution, SHOWTIME Networks, CBS News, CBS Films and a library of more than 70,000 hours of programming. The Studio participates in a number of international channel ventures and also exports a diverse lineup of formats for local production. CBS Studios International has 13 offices around the world, including its base in Los Angeles and EMEA headquarters in Amsterdam. CBS Studios International is a division of CBS Corporation.