BERLIN – Desperate Housewives might be ending its U.S. run this season but the ladies of Wisteria Lane are getting broadcast botox in the form of a new international version of the ABC show, set to launch in Turkey.
Walt Disney Company confirmed it has begun production on a Turkish version of the hit show, called Umutsuz Ev Kadinlari, together with local production house Medyapim. The series will air on Kanal D, Turkey’s number one commercial network, later this year. Outside Turkey, Kanal D is a popular satellite channel with Turkish communities in Western Europe.
Disney said the Turkish version of the show would closely follow the twisting storylines of the ABC original, while adding a “uniquely Turkish flavor.” It is being shot on location in Istanbul. Local stars cast as the Housewives include Songul Oden who’ll play Susan, or Suzan in the Turkish version; Ceyda Duvencias Lynette (Leyla); Bennu Yildirimlar as Bree (Berrin) and Evrin Solmaz as Gabrielle (or Yildiz).
Disney has produced local-language versions of Desperate Housewives for Latin America but this will be the first version made for Europe and the Middle East.
Other ABC-Studios scripted series that have been adapted for local consumption world-wide include foreign-language versions of Grey’s Anatomy, The Golden Girls and Brothers & Sisters.
