Prince Harry & Meghan Markle's Highly Anticipated Oprah Interview Launches Bidding War In The U.K Over Rights To Air.: Report
The biggest TV networks in the U.K. are battling it out for the rights to air Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah Winfrey.
The highly anticipated tell-all will air on March 7 on CBS in the U.S., but at the moment, it remains up in the air as to how British citizens can watch the special.
According to Variety, free-to-air player ITV is currently the frontrunner. The platform has a good relationship with Harry and Meghan, as they previously aired Harry & Meghan: An African Journey.
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At one point, the publication claimed "Comcast-backed pay-TV operator Sky" was also a top choice, but they now seem to be out of the running.
It was reported that the sellers, ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group, will likely choose "a free-to-air broadcaster" to make sure they reach the widest audience in the U.K. as possible.
A source claimed that BBC "is not involved in a bidding war" for the interview, and neither is BBC One, since on that same day, they'll be airing Queen Elizabeth II's Commonwealth Day celebration, where Princes Charles, Duchess Camilla, Prince William and Duchess Kate are also scheduled to appear.
Some were surprised to see that Netflix wasn't making an offer to stream the interview, as last year, Harry and Meghan signed a multi-year, multimillion-dollar deal with the platform to produce both scripted and non-scripted productions for all age groups.
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Regardless of which company gains access to the TV special, Variety stated it will most likely air the U.K. the day after it debuts in the U.S.
According to CBS' press release, Winfrey "will speak with Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, in a wide-ranging interview, covering everything from stepping into life as a Royal, marriage, motherhood, philanthropic work to how she is handling life under intense public pressure.”
After the one-on-one chat, Prince Harry will join the ladies to talk about their new life in the U.S. and their plans and dreams for the future, which include welcoming their second child.
Royal expert Katie Nicholl claimed "the couple really want this to be an interview in which they can sit down and tell their side of the story."
"Up until now we've heard versions of their story through the voices and re-telling of other people," she told Entertainment Tonight. "This is their first opportunity to sit down and talk about the past year in their own words."
