Kumars deal is 'lousy'

...for the Americans!

American TV bosses made a 'lousy' deal to buy up The Kumars at No. 42, industry pundits have claimed.

The NBC network made several unprecedented concessions to secure the show after becoming embroiled in a bidding war with rivals Fox.

But the deal is good news for British production Hat Trick, which makes the shows.

NBC is anxious to find new comedy hits as its biggest ratings-winner Friends comes to an end.

Writing in Hollywood bible Variety, industry observer Josef Adalian said the deal "demonstrates just how far NBC is willing to go to hold onto its primetime crown".

"In the end, NBC made a lousy deal to get Kumars because the network needs new comedy hits."

The deal means that NBC are taking all the financial risk, while Hat Trick and US production company Pariah Television can only win.

NBC has promised the show - which will be remade with a Mexican family - will be screened on one of its biggest nights, a Tuesday or Thursday.

Unusually, has also agreed to meet the full cost of producing the show - about £480,000 an episode and only take 10 per cent of any follow-on profits. The standard figure is 50 per cent.

And should NBC decide not to make a series after the pilot, it will pay an additional £800,000 penalty.

However, the network has secured a perpetual licence fee, so the makers cannot force the price up if the show becomes successful.

Adalian added: "Because Kumars costs much less than a typical comedy, if the show's a hit, the net stands to reap hundreds of millions in ad revenues.

"That said, until then, it's unlikely anybody at the network is doing backflips."

Britain exports Kumars to US