Distraction has closed deals in the U.K. and other territories for international versions of The Next Great Prime Minister. The CBC and its London-based distributor say the BBC has optioned the format for the politically minded reality series, to be called The Next Great Leader.

Independent producers including Grundy Productions in Italy, Plural Entertainment in Spain and the Netherlands’ MasMedia have also signed separate deals, as has a South African company, though its name was not immediately available.

The original version put young adults up against a panel of former national leaders in a bid to win a five-figure cash prize and a Magna-Dominion-Fulbright internship. It has aired twice, first on CTV before moving to the Ceeb, where it played to a solid 865,000 viewers in early 2007. A third installment is due in March.

‘The Next Great Leader is the best example of reality prime time programming that not only entertains, but educates viewers to the challenges our leaders are facing, and the necessity to develop the leaders of the future,’ said Distraction CEO Michel Rodrigue in a release.

Distraction suggested the U.K. version might air close to that country’s next federal election in 2009. The company, which also has an office in Montreal, closed a deal last year to represent the Ceeb’s factual entertainment formats.