MUMBAI: Touchstone Television's hit series Desperate Housewives will debut in China on December 19, 2005 on state run CCTV8. In the US, the show revived the fortunes of ABC while in India the show airs on Star World.

In an agreement brokered by BVITV-AP and London based Zone Vision Networks, the series will be dubbed into Mandarin and will air as three back-to-back episodes per night, with the entire first season running in one week.

Buena Vista International Television - Asia Pacific senior VP, MD(BVITV-AP) Steve Macallister says, "We are delighted to be working with Zone Vision as a partner in China. Desperate Housewives has been breaking records around the world and we are sure it will be a hit with Chinese viewers."

Zone Vision Networks GM, chief programming officer Chris Sharp says, "As part of our commitment to our relationship with CCTV and our viewers in China, we have made it a priority to acquire the very best Hollywood and international series and movies for our 'Jiayi' programme block. Certainly the multi award-winning Desperate Housewives series satisfies those very high standards. It is a truly unique series and a worldwide phenomenon, and we are delighted to work with Disney and Touchstone Television to bring this incredible series to China for the first time."

Desperate Housewives is a dark funny look into the secret lives of suburban families and neighbours living on Wisteria Lane.