By : Chris Tribbey | Posted: 19 Jul 2010
ctribbey@questex.com

Starting July 21 the first two installments of Starz Entertainment’s eight-episode series “The Pillars of the Earth” will be available for free to more than 61 million households. The series will officially air nationwide July 23 at 10 p.m. on Starz.

“Taking a modern literary classic, such as Ken Follett’s No. 1 bestseller. and translating it to television is a daunting challenge, but this Starz original series is an impressive achievement that Follett fans, our affiliates, and all viewers will enjoy,” said Ed Huguez, EVP of sales and affiliate marketing for Starz Entertainment. “We are heartened by the record level of participation from Starz affiliates for the on-demand sampling of the event series.”

AT&T U-verse, Blue Ridge Communications, Bright House Networks, Buckeye CableSystem, Cablevision, Charter Communications, Comcast, Cox Communications, DirecTV, Fancast XFinity, Mediacom Communications, RCN, Time Warner Cable and WOW! are the Starz affiliates carrying the early premiere broadcast.

The $40 million series is set in 12th Century England and stars Ian McShane (“Deadwood,” Sexy Beast), Rufus Sewell (The Illusionist, A Knight’s Tale), Matthew Macfadyen (Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood, Pride and Prejudice), Eddie Redmayne (The Yellow Handkerchief, The Good Shepherd) and Donald Sutherland (“Dirty Sexy Money,” The Italian Job).

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