Sony Channel U.K. Takes ‘Orange Is the New Black’

Sony Corp.’s Sony Channel in the U.K. has acquired the linear TV rights to Lionsgate’s Netflix original series Orange Is the New Black.

The show will have its U.K. TV premiere on Sony Channel, available on Sky, Virgin Media and TalkTalk, next month. Season one will launch with a double bill every Wednesday at 9 p.m. starting on April 19.

The show focuses on engaged Brooklynite Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling), whose decade-old relationship with drug-runner Alex (Laura Prepon) results in her arrest and yearlong detention in a federal penitentiary. To pay her debt to society, she must trade her comfortable New York life with fiance Larry (Jason Biggs) for an orange prison jumpsuit.

“We recognize the demand for premium content that appeals to a broad audience, which is exactly what Orange Is the New Black offers,” said Kate Marsh, Sony Pictures Television’s executive vp Western Europe, international networks. “It is widely recognized as a must-see series that we’re pleased to make part of our offering on Sony Channel.”

“We’re pleased to partner with our friends at Sony Pictures Television as we continue to bring Orange Is the New Black to new audiences and platforms around the world,” said Peter Iacono, Lionsgate president of international television digital distribution. “Orange is a global phenomenon with ever-growing appeal, and we expect it to be a great addition to Sony’s lineup of must-see premium programming that will resonate with their audience for years to come.”

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