Seven pays $3m for Kath and Kim
KATH and Kim will move to commercial TV after selling their new series to Channel 7 for $3 million.
The deal ends months of battling by rival networks to woo Fountain Lakes's "foxy morons" away from the ABC.
Seven was not the highest bidder in the cash war, but was chosen because the highly sought-after comedians wanted the biggest audience.
In the new series, screening later this year, the suburban divas take a holiday to warmer climes and search for a school for Kim's "gifted" toddler, Eponnee Rae.
Kath and Kim said they were looking forward to returning to Seven, as its canteen food was far superior.
"Seven has promised us we're going to be in the stable, and Kim belongs in a stable," Kath said.
"We schmoozed. We did our fair share of schmoozing. We were just entertaining CEOs with cardonnay (sic) and nibbles.
"I think when we got Kerry Stokes in the spa at the Buckingham and he was legless - literally - that was the clincher.
"They're paying us literally hundreds of dollars per episode. (The ABC) could only afford $10."
The multi-million-dollar deal will secure Seven at least eight episodes of the hit comedy, with possible further series to follow.
It also gives Seven a flagship program in its ratings battle with Nine.
Seven programming director Tim Warner said Kath & Kim would be the network's most heavily promoted show.
"These characters were born at Seven (on Big Girl's Blouse), and Seven's going reasonably well at the moment," he said.
"This will add to the momentum, and obviously we're stoked about it."
Confirmed guests include Shane Warne and Matt Lucas, from Little Britain.
Other big names are being pursued.
"We couldn't let Sharon near Warney - basically because she just wanted to see his flipper and he didn't want to expose it," said Kath.
Magda Szubanski, Glenn Robbins and Peter Rowsthorn will return for the fourth series.
Rick McKenna, a producer with the series' creators, Jane Turner and Gina Riley, said the move to a commercial channel meant the fourth series could be bigger and bolder and could be filmed off-location.
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