Impossible is now negotiating with a US broadcaster to adapt Primeval. Haines said it was likely that the series would "start from scratch" with a slightly edgier feel. It sounds like this would mean a new cast and writers, and an American setting. Haines added he was hopeful Primeval would come back to the UK, through a British channel buying the rights to the new US version.Source: Coventry Telegraph
Credit: Mickey
Bradford-born actor Andrew-Lee Potts has spoken for the first time about his hit TV show Primeval being cancelled – and how his latest project sees him tipped to break America. Andrew, 29, was back at his family home in Wibsey at the weekend after taking a break from a gruelling six-week filming schedule in Canada. The actor played Connor Temple in the hugely popular ITV Saturday night monster-fighting drama, which was cancelled by ITV last month because of the huge cost of producing each special effects-heavy episode.Source: Telegraph and ArgusHe said: “We suspected there was something wrong because ITV were taking so long to announce whether they were re-commissioning the show for a fourth series. We all knew ITV’s position regarding money and Primeval is a very expensive show to make.” Andrew received a phone call with the bad news from Tim Haines, head of Impossible Pictures which produces Primeval, while he was filming in Vancouver for his new project.
He said: “It was very disappointing. Primeval was averaging five million viewers an episode and the show has ended on a cliff-hanger, with Connor and Abby and the rest lost in time. “But we’ve got to roll with the punches. “We were all gutted, but this is the way it is. “I’ve played Connor for three seasons now, and we knew it wouldn’t last forever. “I feel most for the fans who have been loyal to Primeval throughout, especially the way the series ended. I’d like to thank everyone for their support.”
In a way, though, the cancellation could have proved a blessing in disguise for Andrew, because it has freed him up to film a major new project. He’s on his way back to Vancouver for another five-week filming session on Alice – a four-hour miniseries produced by the Sci Fi Channel which is an update of the Alice in Wonderland story.
Andrew plays the male lead, Hatter – based loosely on the Mad Hatter character – and gets to act alongside such stars as Tim Curry, Kathy Bates and stars from hit shows and films such as Battlestar Galactica and Watchmen, and relative newcomer Caterina Scorsone as Alice. “It’s so up my street,” said Andrew. “It’s really quirky stuff. “It’s set 150 years after the original Alice in Wonderland story and is very cool. My character is a fantastic part to play.”
Set to be screened at the beginning of December in the US and UK on the Sci Fi Channel (now renamed Syfy in a bid to make it more female-friendly), with talks underway to give it an airing on one of the big UK networks as well, could this be the show that makes Andrew’s name in America, especially as he has a lead role? “Everyone on the set keeps telling me that this is it, this will make my name in the States, that they’re going to love me, but I’m just getting on with the job in hand,” he said with typical Bradfordian modesty.
Before jetting back across the Atlantic, Andrew was returning to the Brighton home he shares with his fiancee, former S Club 7 singer and fellow former-Primeval star, Hannah Spearritt, and the latest addition to their “family” – a King Charles Cocker Spaniel called Stanley.
BBC America will begin airing new episodes of Primeval Saturday at 9pm Eastern and Pacific, with a rebroadcast of the last episode aired before the show went on hiatus.Source: Mickey
Source: Mickey