UK’s Sky and Canada’s Bell Media take Fox’s Best Medicine

Canada’s Bell Media and broadcasters across Europe have picked up Fox’s reboot of All3Media’s Doc Martin, which debuted on Sky in the UK last night.

Known as Best Medicine, the show follows a brilliant surgeon (Josh Charles) who leaves his prestigious Boston career to work in a small East Coast village, where he struggles to overcome psychological issues as he gets to know the locals.

The series was taken into the US by Propagate Content and is produced by Fox Entertainment Studios and distributed by Fox Entertainment Global.

Fox, whihc owns the show, has struck deals with TV4 in Sweden, TV2 in Norway, Syn in Iceland, Hong Kong’s Now TV, Play Media in Belgium and Talpa Network in the Netherlands.

Group TVA has also taken rights in Canada, while other buyers include Pro Plus in Slovenia, Yes in Israel, NBC Universal Global Networks in Central and Eastern Europe, TV2 Media Group in Hungary, Cosmote TV in Greece, HRT in Croatia, and NOS Portugal.

Ben Silverman (The Office), Rodney Ferrell (Stick), Howard T. Owens (Stick), Liz Tuccillo (Sex and the City), Mark Crowdy (Doc Martin), Philippa Braithwaite (Doc Martin), Jay Karas and Tyson Bidner are executive producers. Jamie Babbit directed the first two episodes, which she also executive produced.

Doc Martin was originally produced in the UK by Buffalo Pictures in association with Homerun Film Productions. The US show’s debut delivered 15.7 million multiplatform viewers, Fox said.

Prentiss Fraser, president of Fox Entertainment Global, added that Best Medicine’s “uplifting storytelling and broad audience accessibility” had helped the show resonate with viewers.

“The addition of Sky and this rapidly expanding roster of premier international partners demonstrates the powerful global appeal of the series and reinforces the growing demand for feel-good entertainment that delivers both heart and scale.”

Ensemble cast includes Annie Potts, Josh Segarra, Cree and a roster of recurring guest stars, with Doc Martin star Martin Clunes also appearing. Fox is prepping a second season to air on Fox in the autumn.