Wife swapping hits America

The US is to see its very own version of the hit Channel 4 series "Wife Swap".

11:11 21 May 2004

The US is to see its very own version of the hit Channel 4 series "Wife Swap".

It is to be broadcast this autumn on ABC's network, during the coveted 10pm slot on Wednesday evenings, as part of a deal apparently worth 7.5 million.

A spokesperson from ABC applauded the show, saying: "Never before has a reality series taken such an honest inside look at the American family."

As with the original show, US audiences will get to see women switch husbands and families and live with them for ten days.

Last year the ABC network commissioned a pilot US version of Wife Swap produced by RDF Media, the brains behind the original UK version.

It now has 20 hour-long episodes ready for airing, and RDF has a seven-figured cheque in the bank.

RDF's creator of programmes, Stephen Lambert, told The Independent newspaper: "In many ways, it's worked even better than in Britain because there's such a variety of people here and Americans are good at being larger than life."

Wife Swap became Channel 4's second biggest hit last year, went on to win a Bafta TV Award, and a had celebrity spin-off episode made which included Big Brother's Jade Goody and TV quiz cheat Major Charles Ingram.