Scrubs creator signs deal with NBC

Academy member and Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence has signed a lucrative four-year contract with NBC. Lawrence, executive producer of the hit medical comedy, will create, develop, and produce programming at the forthcoming NBC Universal studio. Under the deal, Lawrence will become one of the first top talents under the new NBC Universal label.

"For a comedy writer, this is a huge opportunity," Lawrence said to Variety. "It seems to me with such an open landscape on NBC, there's a real good shot at getting a bunch of shows on the air. I'm going to try to get something going right away."

Lawrence had previously served as executive producer on the MTV animated series Clone High, USA, and created the Michael J. Fox series Spin City.