Producer Simon Vaughn tells me the U.S. broadcast networks and cable channels are also interested in coming on board the 4-part miniseries Titanic he’s making with ITV Studios. “I have never been in a situation before where there are so many suitable homes,” he says. Julian Fellowes, who’s having a big success on ITV with Downton Abbey, has written the script. Like Downton Abbey, there’s lots of opportunity for class conflict between posh First Class and those travelling steerage (the word “posh” comes from the golden age of cruise liners). The miniseries is being structured as a co-production with CanWest Global Communications in Canada and Irish broadcaster TV3. The show is meant to be broadcast around the 100th anniversary of the Titanic sinking in April 2012. Vaughn has found U.S. homes for three internationally-financed miniseries he’s made: ABC may show Canadian broadcaster CBC co-produced Ben Hur this Christmas; Diamonds was set up at both ABC and Lifetime; while another Lifetime project, Coco Chanel, was nominated for Best TV Movie at the 2009 Emmys.

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