ABC steals UK's Martin Bashir for $1 mn

England's The Tonight programme will no longer have Martin Bashir.

The Guardian reports that television network ABC has reportedly offered Bashir a $1 million deal to join them when his ITV Granada television contract expires in July. 

Bashir, 41, is scheduled to step into famous television interviewer Barbara Walters' shoes, as she retires from hosting the weekly show 20/20 in September.

Bashir, who is famous for his high-profile interviews, made waves recently with his Living With Michael Jackson programme on The Tonight show. It was declared programme of the year at the Royal Television Society's journalism awards on Tuesday.

The programme was also watched by about 27 million Americans on ABC. Earlier, his Millionaire - A Major Fraud on the popular television show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? clocked 15 million people in Britain. It was the largest for a factual programme in the UK since 1997.

Bashir has been with The Tonight show since its inception in 1999. He was with BBC's Panorama before he joined ITV.