The Vicar of Kazakhstan
- Published: 15 September 2008 09:48
- Author: Robin Parker
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- Last Updated: 15 September 2008 09:48
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The Vicar of Dibley is heading to the home of Borat, with plans to dub the BBC comedy into the Kazakh language.
BBC Worldwide has sold the rights to the Dawn French sitcom to Kazakh broadcaster Khabar Agency, which will translate it into Kazakh and Russian for a local audience.
The BBC will be hoping the show is more in tune with Kazakh tastes than Sacha Baron Cohen's creation Borat, which angered the country's diplomats for his un-PC take on an obscure nation's character.
The Vicar of Dibley's executive producer Jon Plowman quipped: "This is brilliant. I have always felt that the people of Kazakhstan were the ideal audience for the vicar."
On a more serious note, Plowman praised the deal as a sign that comedy could break down barriers, in the spirit of the theme of the show, which centres on a small community's gradual acceptance of a female vicar.
Monisha Shah, from BBC Worldwide, added: "I am sure that like thousands of others around the world, they will also enjoy the charm and delights of English parish life, so beautifully crafted by Richard Curtis and Dawn French."
