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(Silver Spring, Md.)-SCIENCE today announced that it is U.S. production partner for AN IDIOT ABROAD 2: THE BUCKET LIST, featuring Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington.  Premiering on SCIENCE in early 2012, the second season is the follow-up to AN IDIOT ABROAD, which is the network's highest-rated series ever.  Since its premier in January 2011, more than 20 million viewers have watched AN IDIOT ABROAD on SCIENCE.

"We're thrilled to return to SCIENCE for another grand experiment.  It was hard work getting Karl to agree to another torture session, I mean series," said Ricky Gervais.  "It was time to give him a piece of the pie.  It will most probably end up in his face.  Most people think that the name of our production company, RiSK, is a combination of our initials. It's also because there is a small chance that Karl could die."

In the first season of AN IDIOT ABROAD, Gervais and Merchant conducted the grandest social experiment in television history, as they forced their close-minded friend, Pilkington, to travel around the globe to experience the Seven Wonders of the World.  AN IDIOT ABROAD 2: THE BUCKET LIST again finds Pilkington sent out on a forced quest.  This time, Gervais and Merchant send their reluctant friend around the world to sample adventures that "you must experience before you die."  The only problem is that the trip might kill him. 

"I've never understood the 'things to do before you die' idea," said Pilkington.  "If I was ill, I'd be in no mood to have a swim with a dolphin."

"AN IDIOT ABROAD was an absolute game-changer for SCIENCE.  It brought humor to our network, and our audience responded in a huge way," said Debbie Adler Myers, Executive Vice President and General Manager of SCIENCE.  "This new season will be even bigger-Karl's bucket list will be full of some of the most hilarious and ridiculous situations ever captured on television.  Ricky, Steve, Karl and their team at RiSK Productions are putting their demented minds to good use."

An Idiot Abroad is produced for SCIENCE by RiSK Productions and Mentorn International.  For SCIENCE, Brian Lavin is network producer and Bernadette McDaid is Vice President of Production.  For Mentorn International, Dan Goldsack is executive producer.

About SCIENCE:

SCIENCE, a division of Discovery Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), is home for the thought provocateur, the individual who is unafraid to ask the killer questions of "how" and "why not."  The network is a playground for those with audacious intellects and features programming willing to go beyond imagination to explore the unknown.  Guided by curiosity, SCIENCE looks for innovation in mysterious new worlds as well as in its own backyard.  SCIENCE and the SCIENCE HD simulcast reach more than 68 million U.S. households.  The network also features high-traffic online and social media destinations, including ScienceChannel.com, facebook.com/Science Channel and twitter.com/ScienceChannel.

About Mentorn:

Mentorn's output has a breadth and quality that ranks it as one of the UK's foremost producers.  Established in 1985, Mentorn Media is one of the UK's longest established independent television production companies, making thousands of hours for broadcasters in the UK and worldwide. With offices across the UK, they produce programs across a range of genres.  "Question Time" and "Underage and Pregnant" are recognized brands in the BBC's output, placing Mentorn as the sixth biggest supplier in terms of hours to the BBC in 2009.  Over the last couple of years, Mentorn has produced two series: "The School Musical" and, in 2010, "An Idiot Abroad" with Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington for Sky 1HD.  Mentorn USA has been established for 10 years in Los Angeles and has produced award-winning Bravo US series "Work Out"; "Paradise Hotel,: which ran on FOX, Fox Reality and MyNetwork; "Chef Academy" for Bravo US and "American's Worst Driver" for the Travel Channel.  Mentorn International is the distribution arm of Mentorn and Mentorn USA, leading independent producers in the UK and North America, with successful international formats and award-winning programming for the UK and worldwide.  Mentorn International sells formats and licensed programs, including reality, entertainment, factual entertainment and factual genres.