Showtime Entertainment President Robert Greenblatt announced today the network will premiere a provocative half-hour comedy series, “Secret Diary of a Call Girl.” Taken from best selling, real life diaries, this eye-opening insight into the life of a high-end call girl leading a double life became an immediate ratings winner in the United Kingdom. Showtime will air the first season’s 8 half-hour episodes beginning in Spring or Summer 2008, with a commitment for an additional 12 episodes.
One of the UK’s leading young actresses Billie Piper takes on the challenging lead role. To her friends and family she is Hannah, a legal secretary clocking in regular hours and enjoying a “normal” life. To her clients, she is Belle, the answer to all of their fantasies. Her challenge is to keep her two lives separate. Inevitably they begin to blur.
The real Belle (whom the charismatic Piper met and worked closely with pre-and during production) published her diaries in 2005 and, despite many attempts to discover her true identity, remains anonymous.
“When Chris Albrecht called me to take a look at this show we were intrigued,” said Greenblatt. “Initially we thought we should make an American version of it, but we fell in love with the original episodes, were captivated by Billie Piper’s Belle, and decided to bring it to Showtime as is. American audiences will be transfixed by the series poignant, sexy, comedy meets drama elements and the series’ will fit in perfectly with our line-up of original programming. It is also a pleasure to be back in business with my old friend Chris.”
“We are delighted to be partnering with Showtime to bring this highly successful and provocative series to a U.S. audience,” said Chris Albrecht, head of global media for IMG. “We are particularly proud of the role that Tiger Aspect Productions, an IMG-owned production company, has played in the production of this show, now entering its second season of production in the U.K.”
The “Secret Diary of a Call Girl” series is Belle’s frank account of her experiences — at times shocking and risque and sometimes simply hilarious — brought to life by Piper and a colorful and talented supporting cast. Each episode allows the audience an illuminating glimpse behind the scenes of the high-class sex trade, generating much debate and discussion. The dynamic drama explores the life of a heroine who struggles with personal and moral issues-with some rather naughty adventures along the way. The series premiered in Fall 2007 on British digital channel ITV2, with more than 2 million viewers on hand for the opening episode.
