Five wins bidding war for 'Joey'

Five has been named as the surprise winner in the bidding war for Friends spinoff Joey.

The broadcaster is believed to have paid a massive £250,000 an episode for the Matt LeBlanc sitcom, which begins in the US next month.

Five is taking a gamble in buying up the sitcom, having seen only one episode at a preview screening in Los Angeles earlier this summer.

The channel already has a hit US import in the form of CSI: Crime Investigation and its accompanying spinoffs.

Also included in the £5.5 million deal is Charlie Sheen comedy Two and a Half Men, which will be paired up with Joey as part of a new weekly comedy hour on Five next February.

"Five has become synonymous with quality US imports and the acquisition of these two comedy series is a great coup for the channel," said Jeff Ford, director of acquisitions at Five.

The broadcaster also holds the Pay TV rights for the show, which could be sold on to another network at a later date.