MUMBAI: The BBC has bought the UK television rights to the comedy Arrested Development from Fox Television.
 

The comedy revolves around widower Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman) who reluctantly finds himself teaching his offbeat relatives how to live without the company expense account after the head of the family George Bluth Sr (Jeffrey Tambor) is arrested for dodgy accounting practices. Oscar winning director Ron Howard of Apollo 13 is the narrator and also one of the show's executive producers.

BBC Controller of Acquisitions George McGhee said, "I believe that Arrested Development will be a great addition to programming on BBC TWO and BBC FOUR, offering viewers a truly funny and different sitcom." The BBC plans to transmit the series late next year.

The series has been nominated in the Best Comedy or Musical category for the 2004 Golden Globe awards. It was also named by the American Film Industry as one of the top eight shows currently on TV.