After some Googling around the web, I found a few press releases about Michael Palin’s Sahara series and found out that the U.S. rights to the show were awarded to the Bravo network. Bravo is well known for their “Inside the Actor’s Studio” program as well as being the current owners of broadcast rights to one of my all-time favorites, “Twin Peaks”.
On the Bravo web site, I could find no reference to Sahara or anything Palin. I was worried since the press release also mentioned that Bravo bought the rights to some of the older travel offerings (including my fav Pole to Pole). Scouring their web site, I found an 800 number which offered “immediate answers to many of their inquiries”. So I phoned them up and was a bit discouraged to get a recorded message. However, there was the opportunity to leave a message and they promised a call within 24 hours. I phoned them last Thursday, and first thing Monday morning I received a call. It might have been 48 hours instead of 24, but hey for a major cable network that isn’t bad.
So for all of you U.S. Michael Palin fans here is the news: Bravo has tentatively scheduled the U.S. premiere of “Michael Palin’s Sahara” for April 2003. They have not set an actual date, but keep checking the site as the month approaches. Woo Hoo! I wonder if the U.S. DVD will come out around the same time. I wish the U.K. version was region 0 and NTSC compatible…