The Royals find a UK home on E!

UK pay TV channel E! has picked up The Royals, the upcoming scripted series about a fictional British royal family.

The ten-part series was the first drama offering commissioned by NBCUniversal-owned cable net E! in the US and it will now play on the UK as well as US versions of the Hollywood entertainment channel.

The series is co-produced by Lionsgate and Universal Cable Productions, and distributed by Lionsgate.

Shot in London, and taking advantage of the UK tax break for big-budget drama, the show stars Elizabeth Hurley as Queen Helena, the head of a fictional British royal family. Joan Collins also guest stars.

E! has renewed The Royals for a second season ahead of the launch of season one.

“The Royals is the perfect show to complement our line-up of Hollywood ‘royalty’. We are particularly excited by The Royals as E!’s first original scripted drama is set in the UK, features a stellar British cast, including Elizabeth Hurley and Joan Collins, together with young emerging local talent,” said Nicky Douglas, managing director, UK, Universal Networks International.

The Royals premieres on E! in the UK on Wednesday, March 25 in a 9pm slot. In the US it debuts on March 15.

E! has renewed the show for a second season ahead of the launch of season one. Both seasons will go out on E! in the UK.