UK's C4 renews "Wife Swap," U.S. version coming to ABC

[John Corn]

Wife Swap, Channel 4's biggest hit of the new year, has been recommissioned by the network and is also heading for the US.

The reality format, in which two wives swap places and live with each other's spouses for two weeks, has proved compulsive "car crash TV" since launching on Channel 4 two weeks ago.

In the first episode a racist white woman was paired with a sexist black man, with predictably ghastly results.

Last week the Wife Swap victims were a woman who waited on her slob husband hand and foot and another whose partner wouldn't let her lift a finger. Yesterday's edition a mother with one child swapped places with woman with six children.

Wife Swap attracted 3.9 million viewers in its first week and 5.1 million last Tuesday - making it Channel 4's biggest hit of the new year.


Rest of the Story (http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/0,7493,879895,00.html)

[Lyle_JP]

If anyone needed evidence of just how bad things are over at ABC, this is it. I believe that if they had the same number of affiliates, the WB would actually be beating ABC in the ratings.

I wonder how long it will be before we start seeing full penetration on NYPD Blue ;)

[PSB]

I come from the UK and I was there from the first night that C4 started, I remember rushing home from work to catch the first show "Countdown" and their great music show "The Tube" But they have now reached an all time low! Cant wait till it gets here! I am sure it is done in the best possible taste : )

[Dgenx321]

Still can't beat "Who Wants To Marry A Millonaire"