 |
||
|
|
||
|
Thanks for Playing! |
MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY | WEEKEND | PRIMETIME | SCHEDULE | ARCHIVES: 30 90 | WLTI | STATE OF PLAY | ABOUT |
  |
 90-Day Archives |
|
E! Opens Up House of Villains |
|
E! brings together 10 iconic and infamous reality television villains under one roof for the new competition elimination series "House of Villains." Hosted by Joel McHale, the series will premiere with a 75-minute supersized episode on Thursday, Oct. 12 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. |
posted 8/15/2023 |
|
|
And Then There Were 55 |
|
We did it, folks. After nine weeks of auditions, plus two clip shows, we finally know which 55 acts will be competing in the live episodes of America's Got Talent Season 18. Prior to tonight, only this season's seven Golden Buzzer winners — dance groups Chibi Unity and Murmuration; Chioma and the Atlanta Drum Academy; the Mzsani Youth Choir; and singers Gabriel Henrique, Lavender Darcangelo and Putri Ariani — were guaranteed a spot in the live shows. And given the show's track record for Golden Buzzer recipients winning the whole shebang, these seven acts are definitely the ones to beat this season. Those seven acts are now joined by 48 other hopefuls, whom the judges — Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara — narrowed down from the countless auditions they saw this season. And with 18 full hours of try-outs in our rearview, we do mean countless. This is the part of the season where things get real. Not only are these 55 acts now competing for America's votes, but NBC is also doubling up on AGT, giving us two hours of performances on Tuesdays (8/7c) and one hour of results on Wednesdays (also 8/7c). |
posted 8/15/2023 |
|
|
MONDAY: The Men Tell All |
|
In the latest TV show ratings, NBC's American Ninja Warrior and ABC's The Bachelorette led Monday in the demo, while CBS' The Neighborhood rerun copped the night's biggest audience. Ninja Warrior (with 3 million total viewers and a 0.4 demo rating) was steady week-to-week. The Bachelorette (2.6 mil/0.4) suffered its usual "Men Tell All" freefall; Claim to Fame (1.8 mil/0.2) in turn dipped in the demo. Fox's Stars on Mars (840K/0.2) rose in the demo. Crime Scene Kitchen (990K/0.2) was steady in the demo yet lost a handful of viewers with its Season 2 finale The CW's Son of a Critch (360K/0.0) and Run the Burbs (230K/0.0) each lost a few viewers, while Children Ruin Everything (210K/0.0) and Bump (150K/0.0) both gained eyeballs. The repeat of The Neighborhood drew 3.3 million viewers. |
posted 8/15/2023 |
|
|
Jeff Sutphen Sends News "Over the Edge" |
|
Bahakel Communication's long running nighttime series The EDGE is being reimagined and reenergized as "OVER THE EDGE". Hosted by two-time EMMY-nominated Host/Producer Jeff Sutphen and a revolving panel of guests, the questions will be anything but common or boring. OVER THE EDGE will tackle the impossible to agree upon, out of the box scenarios, ranging from Would You Rather questions like would you live without air conditioning or the Internet to is it okay to wear pajamas in public? Catch OVER THE EDGE week nights beginning August 21st at 11pm on WCCB Charlotte's CW. |
posted 8/15/2023 |
|
|
BBC Crosses "The Finish Line" |
|
Roman Kemp has said he is "excited" as he issued a career announcement and bagged a new TV role. Celebrity Gogglebox and ITV I'm A Celebrity star Roman is set to host the new BBC quiz show The Finish Line. The show has been dubbed the Beeb's answer to ITV The Chase. The 30-year-old said: "I'm so excited to be hosting The Finish Line, coming to BBC One this summer. I'm a huge fan of quiz shows and with this being my first time hosting one, I really can't wait for people to see it. "I love that it's a brand-new format but based on an iconic horse-racing fairground game. The show is challenging and unpredictable; we know that viewers will be hooked!" Roman hosts the show alongside Sarah Greene. Sarah, 65, added: "I'm absolutely thrilled that people can watch The Finish Line soon. It's quickfire, nail-biting and utterly compelling. AND I get to keep cheeky Roman Kemp and our fabulous contestants on their toes!" BBC Daytime commissioning editor Alex McLeod said: "I am so excited that we are bringing a brand new quiz format to the schedule. This new show will be packed full of excitement, anticipation and will have audiences on the edge of their seats – and we're chomping at the bit to announce who the hosts will be!" Michael Kelpie, MD of Potato and Executive Producer, said: " It's such an exciting time for the team behind The Finish Line, and we're very much looking forward to working closely with the BBC over the coming months as we continue to expand our slate of premium quiz show formats." |
posted 8/15/2023 |
|
|
Tuesday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
New details are emerging about Wheel of Fortune's decision to temporarily replace Vanna White during the game show's upcoming 41st season. The iconic letter turner contracted COVID in late July while Wheel was filming its annual "Teachers Week" block, slated to air in October. In her absence, producers tapped California-based "Teacher of the Year" recipient Bridgette Donald-Blue to stand at the letter board for the week's worth of episodes. It will be the first time in more than three decades that White will be MIA on the show. Although a rep for Sony is not commenting on the switcheroo, a Wheel insider is explaining why production on "Teachers Week" was forced to carry on without White vs. being postponed until she recovered. "Teachers had already arrived in L.A. to tape the episodes and, with the academic school year starting, it was not feasible to reschedule that day," the source, speaking on condition of anonymity, tells TVLine. "In keeping with the 'Teachers Week' theme… Bridgette Donald-Blue graciously agreed fill in for Vanna for those five episodes." The insider notes that Wheel was, however, able to reschedule the following day's taping to accommodate White's absence, thus avoiding a two-week stretch of Vanna-free episodes. |
posted 8/14/2023 |
|
|
|
|
The Masked Singer is celebrating its milestone tenth season with a special kickoff premiere episode immediately following the NFL Double Header on Sunday, Sept. 10 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/5:00-6:00 PM PT live to all time zones) on FOX. The premiere will deliver a special celebrity performance and reveal - one of the biggest, can't-miss unmaskings in the show's history! The episode will also feature the return of The Masked Singer celebrity alumni from previous seasons. The alumni (Michelle Williams and Rumer Willis, Joey Fatone and Bow Wow, Victor Oladipo and Barry Zito) pair up for all-new duet performances - unmasked! Then, the season ten competition will officially begin in the time period premiere airing Wednesday, Sept. 27 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT). The legacy continues with an all-new format with three incredible groups and special Battle Royale semi-final episodes. With sixteen total celebrity singers, season ten boasts amazingly intricate new costumes including "Donut," "Anteater," "Hawk," "Hibiscus," and a life-size "S'More!" The anniversary season will introduce all-new themed episodes, including "Trolls Night," ahead of the much-anticipated November release of DreamWorks Animation's Trolls Band Together, a special "Harry Potter Night" episode airing the week of Halloween, and an iconic episode celebrating the music of Elton John, featuring song selections from the legendary superstar. Other themes include: "NFL Night," "One Hit Wonders," "Disco," "2000s Night," "I Wanna Rock" and "Soundtrack of My Life." The themes will be weaved throughout the performers' song selections, costumes, celebrity guests, set design... and may even provide clues as to WHO is under the mask! |
posted 8/14/2023 |
|
|
SUNDAY: The Golf Runs Long |
|
In the latest TV ratings, CBS' 60 Minutes rerun — pending adjustment due to (hour-plus) late-running PGA golf coverage — led Sunday both in total viewers and in the demo. Leading out of the 60 Minutes repeat (which drew 5.4 million viewers and a 0.6 demo rating, pending adjustment due to laaaate-running PGA golf coverage), Big Brother (4.1 mil/0.4) delivered its biggest audience of the season (and yet hit a demo low) while The Challenge: USA (2.8 mil/0.5) was up sharply from Thursday's season opener. ABC's Celebrity Family Feud (3.6 mil/0.4) and $100,000 Pyramid (2.8 mil/0.3) were both steady. The CW's The Chosen (430K/0.0) added a few eyeballs. |
posted 8/14/2023 |
|
|
More on "Buddy Games" |
|
CBS announced today the six teams of friends who will join host Josh Duhamel at a stunning lake house to compete for the title of BUDDY GAMES champion and a cash prize. BUDDY GAMES premieres Thursday, Sept. 14 (9:00-10:00 PM, PT/ET) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the special airs)*. BUDDY GAMES unites six teams of four deep-rooted friends, who met at various stages of their lives, at a stunning lakeside location for a nostalgic adult summer camp adventure. "Ride or dies" get the chance to play "buddy games" where they will relive their glory days and compete in an assortment of absurd physical and mental challenges in the outdoors while bunking together in the same house. Friendships will be rekindled, and rivalries reignited when these friends are challenged to prove which bonds are strong enough to withstand the competition. The last buddy team standing will be crowned champion and take home a cash prize plus the coveted BUDDY GAMES trophy, and of course bragging rights. Following are the teams competing on the series premiere of BUDDY GAMES: |
posted 8/14/2023 |
|
|
Wendy McMahon Heads to CBS News & Syndication |
|
Wendy McMahon is expanding her purview at CBS. The co-head of CBS News and Stations will now oversee the news and stations divisions solo following the departure of Neeraj Khemlani. In addition, she will assume oversight of CBS Media Ventures, the network's syndication arm. Steve Locascio, the president of CBS Media Ventures, said Monday that he would be retiring after 34 years at the company. Khemlani is shifting to a production deal with CBS. "At every turn since joining CBS, Wendy has used her unique skill set as an innovator, business operator and people leader to energize operations, support our best-in-class journalism and position CBS for its multiplatform future," said CBS president and CEO George Cheeks in a statement. "She is a dynamic leader with clear vision who generates forward momentum in every business she touches. I'm excited for the future of CBS News, our local stations and our valuable syndication franchises under her leadership." |
posted 8/14/2023 |
|
|
So Let's Talk Replacement... |
|
TV Blackbox has reported who will be hosting the replacement show for Millionaire Hot Seat. After the announcement that Hot Seat Millionaire would be finishing up this year, the industry has been left wondering who would be hosting the replacement show. Many assumed it would be Eddie McGuire but TV Blackbox can confirm the trusted host will not be front and centre of the new 5pm gameshow. Instead, it looks like Channel 9 has made the decision to appoint former tennis star Todd Woodbridge as host of Tipping Point. Sources have confirmed Woodbridge will be the host but entertainment reporter Peter Ford says at this stage he is the odds-on favourite, but possibly not locked in. |
posted 8/14/2023 |
|
|
"Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge" Blockbuster |
|
HGTV's hit competition series Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge, which showcased the life-size renovation of the iconic Mattel toy, Barbie(R) Dreamhouse, ranked as a Top 5 non-news/sports cable program among several key demos, including A18-49 and W18-49. Since its premiere on Sunday, July 16, at 8 p.m. ET/PT, the series attracted nearly 12 million viewers across HGTV, discovery + and Max. On air, it averaged a .54 live plus three-day rating among A25-54 and a .81 live plus three-day rating among W25-54 - an increase of 72 percent and 99 percent respectively over the prior six weeks. The Sunday, August 6 finale delivered the season's best performance with a .56 A25-54 and .81 W25-54 live plus three-day rating, a 33 percent and 40 percent lift over the prior six weeks. Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge also performed well among upscale viewers, ranking as a Top 5 cable program overall among Upscale W18-49 and W25-54 as well as among Upscale A18-49 and A25-54. It averaged a .56 L3 rating among Upscale A25-54 and a .80 L3 rating among Upscale W25-54, a 93 percent and 106 percent lift over previous six-week levels. "Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge helped us attract younger viewers to HGTV, lifting the network's overall ratings by 15 percent over year-ago numbers," said Loren Ruch, Head of Content, HGTV. "The enthusiasm of Barbie fans, as well as the additional interest in our series sparked by the success of the Warner Bros. Pictures film, helped drive double and triple-digit ratings growth among our most important demos." |
posted 8/11/2023 |
|
|
Monday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday's "Big Brother" live eviction and the Season 2 premiere of "The Challenge: USA" boosted CBS primetime viewership, making it the most-watched network of the night with 2.51 million total viewers. As viewers tuned in to watch the aftermath of houseguest Luke Valentine's exit from the show after he used a racial slur in a conversation, as well as the first official live eviction of Season 25, the live episode of "Big Brother" drew in a 0.56 rating in the key broadcast demographic among adults 18-49 — the highest-rated program of the night — and a total viewership of 2.9 million, according to Nielsen live-plus-same-day figures. At 8 p.m. on CBS, a rerun of "Young Sheldon" was the most-watched program of the night with 3.14 million viewers and a rating of 0.24. After the live episode of "Big Brother" at 9 p.m., the debut of "The Challenge: USA" earned a rating of 0.31 and a viewership of 1.74 million. |
posted 8/11/2023 |
|
|
|
|
Herbert J. Siegel, the billionaire entertainment-industry mogul whose blockbuster deals included the sale of 10 TV stations to Rupert Murdoch and the merger of Warner Communications and Time Inc., died Saturday at his home in Manhattan, The New York Times reported. He was 95. A Philadelphia native, Siegel was the son of an immigrant garment manufacturer who turned his inheritance and boyhood fascination with the film industry into a fortune through investments in Paramount Pictures and 20th Century Fox. He started his career while still in college, with a failed attempt to purchase a stake in the Philadelphia Eagles football team. When that bid was unsuccessful, he bought an interest in Official Films, a company that packaged television programs and had connections to the CBS network. A consummate deal-maker, Siegel invested in a range of industries but always kept his hand in entertainment. In 1962, he bought General Artists Corporation, a talent agency that represented stars of the time like Jackie Gleason, Jerry Vale, Pat Boone and Perry Como. He built his core money generator with deals involving a chemical company, then bought a small stake in Paramount Pictures in 1965. A bid to take over the studio failed, so he and his partner, Broadway producer Ernest Marti, sold their stakes in Paramount stake and the General Artists agency, netting $2.6 million that he used to buy a boat company, Chris-Craft Industries, which gave his investment firm its name. His attempt to buy Warner Bros. in 1968 was also unsuccessful, but he served as a white knight to movie mogul Steve Ross in the early 1980s, buying up a 21% stake in the company to fend off a takeover by Murdoch. That stake made Chris-Craft the largest shareholder, and enabled him to delay the Time-Warner merger amid disagreements with Ross. When the deal was finally sealed in 1989, Siegel walked away with about $1 billion. Siegel also accumulated a significant stake in 20th Century Fox over several years, eventually becoming its largest shareholder, then sold it in 1980 for $74 million. In the 1990s, on the heels of the growth of the Fox Network, he attempted to build a fifth national television network based on 10 television stations he controlled. The United Paramount Network, or UPN, launched in 1995 in partnership with Viacom Inc. It had lost more than $800 million by 2000 when Chris-Craft sold its stake to Viacom, the Times reported. |
posted 8/11/2023 |
|
|
|
|
Big Brother houseguest Luke Valentine has been removed from the CBS reality show after dropping a racial slur during a conversation with fellow cast members Tuesday night. "Luke violated the Big Brother code of conduct and there is zero tolerance in the house for using a racial slur, CBS said in a statement. "He has been removed from the house. His departure will be addressed in Thursday night's show." Fans furiously took to social media, calling for Valentine's ouster. Valentine, who is white, dropped the N-word during a conversation with Jared Fields, Cory Wurtenberger and Hisam Goueli Tuesday night. "We were in the (redacted) room, (redacted)," he said before quickly catching himself and saying "I'm sorry." Jared, who is Black, reacted to the comment, saying sometimes the n-word makes white people more uncomfortable than Black people. "I don't give a f*ck," he said. "Yeah, right, I should've made you feel uncomfortable real quick, like, 'Whoa, bro, what you just say?'" Furious fans have taken to social media calling for his ouster. "Go ahead and replace him", wrote one, followed by a peace sign. Another wrote: "He gotta go". Another called out the show's producers: "Shame on the Big Brother production team if they let the Luke incident go by without a single word said to him. Accountability is a MUST here." After the news of Valentine's exit circulated Wednesday morning, the primetime airing of "Big Brother" drew in 0.63 rating in the key broadcast demographic among adults 18-49 and a total viewership of 3.3 million — the highest-rated and most-viewed program of the night — according to Nielsen live-plus-same-day figures. Thanks to "Big Brother," CBS scored the highest rating and the second highest viewership among the major broadcasters of the night with an average rating of 0.33 and an average total viewership of 2 million. "Big Brother" kicked off the night at 8 p.m. and the series premiere of "Superfan" scored a 0.22 rating and brought in 1.4 million viewers at 9 p.m. At 10 p.m. A rerun of "So Help Me Todd" earned a 0.14 rating and drew in 1.36 million total viewers. Over on Fox, the newly renewed MasterChef (2 mil/0.3), plus Food Stars (1.5 mil/0.2), were steady. |
posted 8/11/2023 |
|
|
|
|
Stephen Fry is to host a new game show reboot of Jeopardy! on ITV this autumn. The iconic game show will return as part of ITV's week-day schedule with the channel hoping it "will provide nostalgia for fans of the format, while introducing the family-friendly quiz show to a brand new audience." Jeopardy! first made its debut in the US in 1960s and continues to air, making it one of the longest-running TV shows in history. ITV say their reboot will see Stephen Fry "bring a modern twist to the cult classic." A teaser shares: "The twenty-episode series will see contestants play to win, using their best general knowledge to win rounds and may continue amassing winnings… if they can stay on until the end. The reboot will allow participants to play an extra round compared to the original format, increasing the stakes for the players." Stephen Fry said: "In the United States, Jeopardy! is a phenomenon like no other. Whenever I'm in America, I do my damnedest to catch it every weekday. The idea of hosting it here in the UK makes me dizzy with delight. Such a dedicated quizzing nation as ours will, I hope, welcome this uniquely beguiling and endlessly rewarding game." Katie Rawcliffe, ITV Head of Entertainment added: "Bringing Jeopardy! to a brand new audience as part of our weekday schedule is exciting. There is no one better to host this classic game show than Stephen, bringing knowledge and entertainment to all of our viewers." |
posted 8/11/2023 |
|
|
Happy Friday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Emmys Eye January 2024 |
|
The 75th Primetime Emmy Awards will take place on Monday, January 15, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The joint announcement was made by Fox, whose turn it is to carry the ceremony this year, and the TV Academy. The three-hour telecast, expanding Fox's two-hour primetime, will air live live coast-to-coast at 8 -11 p.m. ET from the Peacock Theater at LA Live. As previously announced, the telecast will be executive produced by Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon and Jeannae Rouzan-Clay of Jesse Collins Entertainment. The two-night Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremonies are set to Saturday and Sunday, January 6 and 7, at the Peacock Theater. An edited TV special will air at 8 p.m. January 13 on FXX. The 2023 Primetime Emmy Awards originally were slated for September 18, also a Monday. With the WGA work stoppage stretching beyond three months and SAG-AFTRA also going on strike, Fox and the TV Academy had been working on alternatives. By mid-July, January emerged as the leading option. A host is expected to be set after the SAG-AFTRA strike ends. |
posted 8/10/2023 |
|
|
ABC Draws Big Audiences from SFG |
|
"Celebrity Family Feud" shot up week to week by 17% in Total Viewers (4.1 million vs. 3.5 million) to draw its biggest audience so far this summer. "Celebrity Family Feud" also improved over the prior week by 25% among Adults 18-49 (0.5/6 vs. 0.4/5) to match its highest-rated telecast of the summer. After seven days of viewing across linear and streaming platforms, "Celebrity Family Feud" delivered its strongest multiplatform telecast since its summer premiere in both Total Viewers (4.5 million) and Adults 18-49 (0.63 rating) - since 7/9/23. "The $100,000 Pyramid" (9:00-10:00 p.m. - 3.6 million Total Viewers and 0.3/4 in AD18-49 in L+7): ABC's "The $100,000 Pyramid" jumped week to week by 13% in Total Viewers (3.6 million vs. 3.2 million) to attract its largest audience this summer. After seven days of viewing across linear and streaming platforms, "The $100,000 Pyramid" scored its most-watched multiplatform telecast since September in Total Viewers (3.7 million) - since 9/11/22. |
posted 8/10/2023 |
|
|
More on "The Golden Bachelor" |
|
Still weeks away from "The Golden Bachelor" premiere this fall, Gerry Turner, a 71-year-old grandpa from Indiana, is currently filming his season at "The Bachelor" mansion in Los Angeles, in hopes of finding love later in life. With little details revealed about the new show, Gerry Turner (pronounced like "Gary") tells Variety about his conversations with producers. "I'm really curious to see what is going to happen on the first night," Turner says, in conversation last week, just days before he starting filming and met his female contestants. Turner says he did not have a big say in casting, but explains that he gave producers "a general range of age" of women he would be interested in dating. "I think I said 60 to 70, but feel free to blur the lines," he says. (The cast of women has yet to be revealed.) "The Golden Bachelor" is the latest spinoff in the "The Bachelor" franchise, which has aired 60 seasons since it debuted in 2002. The upcoming series will showcase a love story "for the golden years," per ABC's synopsis, which says a "hopeless romantic is given a second chance at love in the search for a partner with whom to share the sunset years of life." The spinoff is a new twist to ABC's long-running dating show franchise, which for two decades has mostly centered around 20-something and 30-something casts. Turner is a retired restaurateur and doting father and grandfather, who lives in his dream house on a beautiful lake in Indiana. He's often busy hosting barbecues, playing pickleball, cheering on his favorite Chicago sports teams, four-wheeling and spending time with friends and family at restaurants and local haunts. Turner married his high school sweetheart, Toni, in 1974. They lived a happy life together for 43 years, with their two daughters, Angie and Jenny, and later, their two granddaughters, Charlee and Payton. Sadly, Toni suddenly fell ill and died in 2017. Six years after her passing, and with the support of his family, Turner is now ready to find love again. |
posted 8/10/2023 |
|
|
Joni Day Joins Apploff Entertainment |
|
Apploff Entertainment, the company behind Fox's Beat Shazam and Don't Forget The Lyrics, has named Fremantle's Joni Day as its new EVP, Entertainment. Day, who starts next week, previously spent the last decade as SVP, Alternative Programming at Fremantle. It is a big hire for Apploff Entertainment, which has series such as Lotería Loca coming up for CBS and Fox's We Are Family, exec produced by Jamie Foxx. She reports to President and CEO Jeff Apploff and will develop, sell and produce entertainment formats for the company. |
posted 8/10/2023 |
|
|
Netflix Renews Japanese Pair |
|
Netflix is further expanding its slate of unscripted TV content from Japan, its most lucrative market in East Asia. The new shows cover the reality, variety and dating genres. "We're excited to move into a new phase of our content strategy, ramping up our investments in unscripted and bringing new concepts to the screen. We want to elevate the unscripted category with great production values and storytelling from Japan's most innovative creative voices," said Netflix Japan content manager Dai Ota on Thursday at a company showcase in Seoul, Korea. Some 15 unscripted titles are current in preparation. The previously-announced dating show "Is She the Wolf" will be aired outside Japan from Sept. 3. Developed with broadcaster Abema and adapted from the original show "Who Is the Wolf," which previously ran for 13 seasons, the show follows five men and five women on a quest for love through dates and a group project. However, some female participants are "lying wolves" who cannot fall in love. Another dating show, "Love Village" is now confirmed for a second season. When launched, it broke new ground by featuring ordinary people aged 35 to 60 searching for love, the first time a Japanese reality show focused on this demographic. The second season will flesh out the creative concept with new contestants and returning fan-favorite emcees Tamura Atsushi and Becky. |
posted 8/10/2023 |
|
|
|
|
Gordon Ramsay's "MasterChef" has been renewed for a 14th season at Fox ahead of airing its milestone 250th episode Wednesday at 8 p.m. "I cannot believe 250 episodes have flown by since we started this journey in 2010," Ramsay told Variety. "For me, seeing the growth of home cooking firsthand over the last 13 years has been absolutely extraordinary, and a testament to the power of the show." On the currently airing 13th season of the Endemol Shine North America-produced cooking competition, which is based on a format created by Franc Roddam that has been adapted more than 60 times globally, host Ramsay is judging alongside Aarón Sánchez and renowned restaurateur Joe Bastianich, who will both return to their posts for Season 14. |
posted 8/9/2023 |
|
|
|
|
Jeopardy! is undergoing a big change for its Season 40 as a result of the writers strike. Michael Davies, who took over as exec producer and showrunner on a permanent basis last year, admitted that a lot of his plans for Season 40 and the post-season episodes have been "derailed" and that the show is now in a "holding pattern". Speaking on the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, he said that he admires and misses the writers, who are "beloved and valued members of the Jeopardy! team" but the industrial action has lead to a "changed" Season 40. Essentially, it will bring back previous contestants for Season 40 and will use a combination of questions written by the writers before the strike as well as recycled material. "I believe, principally, that it would not be fair to have new contestants making their first appearance on the Alex Trebek stage, doing it with non-original material or… a combination of non-original material and material that was written pre-strike. So we decided that really we needed to invite back and give a second chance in general to players who probably thought that their chance to come back and play on the Alex Trebek stage had gone forever. We're going to open the season with a second chance tournament for players from Season 37 who lost their initial game, and winners from that will advance to a Season 37 and Season 38 Champions Wild Card." This comes after plans to extend the post-season were scrapped due to the strike. He revealed there were plans to kick off the entire season of Jeopardy! with post-season episodes, a champions wild card tournament leading into a Tournament of Champions before going into regular episodes. "I understand that the best episodes that are possible are episodes that feature our writers writing original material and the very best contestants that we put on the air playing that original material," he added. He admitted that he had "no idea on timing" as to when it will be able to return to regular episodes with new contestants. Elsewhere, he said that the second and third place prize pots are being increased by $1,000, meaning that second place gets $3,000 and third place getting $2,000. "We understand that post-Covid travel, plans have increased and how complicated funding a trip to Jeopardy! is for many contestants within our community and we think this is way about time," he said. However, no word on hosts when the show returns in September. Deadline reported in May that Mayim Bialik, who swaps hosting dates with Ken Jennings, decided against hosting the final episodes of Season 40 as a result of the writers strike. James Holzhauer, the Jeopardy! champion who broke numerous records on his way to a 32-game winning streak (and a big payday), has criticized the changes coming to the game show next season. "If you don't have time to listen, here's the executive summary of today's announcement: 1:00-2:00: Jeopardy's writers are invaluable and we couldn't produce the show without them. 2:00-15:00: Here is how we will produce the upcoming season without them," he tweeted. Meanwhile, Sony confirms that Celebrity Jeopardy! will return on ABC this fall "with original material written by WGA writers before the strike." |
posted 8/9/2023 |
|
|
"Hot Seat" Goes Cold |
|
Eddie McGuire has confirmed that Millionaire Hot Seat will be going into hiatus at the end of January 2024. The long-running host made the announcement on 3AW on Friday morning, thanking fans for their ongoing support and revealing another show would soon take its place. "It's with great pride and joy and also sadness that I announce this morning that Millionaire Hot Seat will go into hiatus at the end of January next year," the host said. "We will finish off this year and there'll be a replacement show at five 'clock on the Nine network after we hit our 25th anniversary when we go into 2024. "I've had the privilege of being in everybody's lounge room for a long time every night at 5 o'clock and I love the fact that so many people come and say, 'I sit there with my grandparents and we did these things together'. It's been a great privilege." Michael Healy, Director of Television, said: "Long-term fan favourite Millionaire Hot Seat, and its predecessor, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, have been fundamental pillars in our Channel 9 schedule for 24 years and will continue to be through 2023. "For 2024 there will be a change, but for this year we look forward to bringing more triumphant stories to those who love the show and who play along with Eddie." McGuire followed up with an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald. "It'll come back. It's too good a format not to." |
posted 8/9/2023 |
|
|
Wednesday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deep into a Malibu canyon, up switchback roads and overlooking a creek, is Wayne Brady's house. With a view of the Pacific, a creek, and not much else, save for tall gates, it's a fortress of solitude. "It's a great place to think," Brady, 51, says. And he has been doing plenty of that. Brady — known as much for his deft comic timing as his fully loaded smile — is ready to tell the world how he identifies: "I am pansexual," he says, meaning that he is attracted to persons regardless of their sex or gender. Brady puts it another way: "Bisexual — with an open mind!" he says with a chuckle. Today the house is bustling with activity. The Let's Make a Deal host's daughter, Maile, 20, and ex-wife Mandie Taketa, 47, are on hand. Taketa was the first person Brady came out to. "I just said, 'Great.' As I knew coming out would help him be happier," she says. Maile's response to Brady was mostly a shrug. "I just said, 'Okay,'" she remembers, breaking into a big, proud smile. Also scattered around the house: a camera crew. Brady, Maile, and Taketa — along with Taketa's partner Jason Fordham — are filming a reality series about their blended family, set to premiere on Hulu next year. Taketa and Fordham welcomed a new baby in 2021, and Brady is considered a co-parent. |
posted 8/8/2023 |
|
|
More on "Switch" Season 2 |
|
Game Show Network's "Switch" combines a five-contestant format with bold production, lighting and sound design that speaks to the heart of the game. Featuring production design from JHD Group, the most prominent scenic element are the five large backlit numbers – that double as contestant lecterns – and are at the core of the show's gameplay. Installed at a slight angle, each number can change colors and also serves to hide a narrow pylon with input pads for each player. There's also a small, color-changing spotlight installed at the base of each numeral. The numbers themselves are created using a clean, geometric sans serif, spaced out across the center of the studio, which is surrounded by a low knee wall with a circular pattern, creating a "ring" of sorts for the contestants to face off inside of. "Switch" returns to Game Show Network September. |
posted 8/8/2023 |
|
|
Tuesday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
Monday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sharon Farrell, who was best known for her roles in horror film "It's Alive" and soap opera "The Young and the Restless," has died at the age of 82. News of Farrell's passing was shared this week by Farrell's sister, Dale Candice Forsmoe, who wrote on Facebook that her sister's passing happened several months ago. According to Forsmoe, her sister died on May 15. As shared by the horror film site Horror Society, after beginning her career as a ballet dancer, Farrell worked in the entertainment industry for 40 years. She earned a number of roles in horror films, including "It's Alive," "The Premonition" and "Night of the Comet." She also starred in the soap opera "The Young and the Restless" for six years during the 1990s and had a guest role during the final season of the original "Hawaii Five-O." Farrell later admitted that working with "Hawaii 5-O's" lead Jack Lord was often difficult. As she put it, "He was a nightmare. He was just a nightmare. You just never knew what he was going to do. He was a very powerful person, and he could keep you from working at CBS, and he was very vindictive and very cruel." The cause of death for Farrell has not yet been released and her sister wrote on Facebook that she did not know the cause of death. Game shows Farrell appeared on include "The Movie Game", "The Hollywood Squares", and "Match Game". |
posted 8/4/2023 |
|
|
|
|
There will be more options for watching Big Brother Live Feeds for the show's upcoming season. Pluto TV, Paramount Global's free streaming outlet, will be home to the show's Live Feeds for Season 25, while sibling Paramount+ will mark its third year airing the Live Feed in one dedicated stream, ad-free, for all subscribers. Both will be available following the August 2 West Coast premiere of the hit series. Pluto TV is launching a new, dedicated Big Brother category that will host five distinct Pop-Up channels, each with dedicated live-feeds. Four of the channels will be individual live-stream feeds while the fifth channel will offer a combined viewing experience from inside the Big Brother House. Limited ad-breaks will be shown throughout the feed. The Big Brother Live Feed is available 24/7 during the season, giving viewers unlimited access to the House Guests even after the show cameras have stopped rolling. BIG BROTHER announced today the 16 new Houseguests who will embark on the 25th season of the series when they move into the BIG BROTHER house during the live 90-minute premiere event Wednesday, Aug. 2 (8:00-9:30 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network. The show will also be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+, where fans will also be able to watch the 24/7 live feed and find exclusive content throughout the season.* This season's cast includes a Deaflympics gold medalist, brand strategist, exterminator, geriatric physician, professional flutist, political consultant and a DJ from Australia, among others. This new group is in for a summer to remember, full of jaw-dropping moments and twists that will send the Houseguests spiraling into another universe. CBS' summer reality hit will again have three weekly episodes. Beginning Sunday, Aug. 6, following the Wednesday premiere, the series will air Sundays and Wednesdays (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) and Thursdays (9:00-10:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT), featuring the live eviction show hosted by Julie Chen Moonves. The following 16 new Houseguests will spend the summer competing for $750,000 (name, age, hometown, current city, occupation): The premiere of "Big Brother" Season 25 locked down a Wednesday night ratings win for CBS. As viewers tuned in to watch the new season of the reality series featuring Frankie Grande, Britney Haynes and Danielle Reyes, "Big Brother" scored a 0.73 rating in the key broadcast demographic among adults 18-49 and a total viewership of 3.4 million, making it the highest-rated- and most-viewed program of the night, according to Nielsen live-plus-same-day figures. The boost from the "Big Brother" premiere led CBS to become the highest-rated and most-watched network of the night with an average rating of 0.45 and an average total viewership of 2.5 million. After "Big Brother" kicked off the night at 8 p.m., "Young Sheldon" scored a 0.23 rating and brought in 1.6 million viewers at 9:30 p.m. before a rerun of "CSI: Vegas" at 10 p.m. earned a 0.16 rating and drew in 1.5 million total viewers. |
posted 8/3/2023 |
|
|
|
|
CBS has shared its fall premiere dates, which include drama Yellowstone making its broadcast debut September 17 and the U.S. and U.K. version of comedy Ghosts on November 16. The networks are getting creative in putting together their new schedules with the writers' strike going on. Unscripted programming plays a huge part this coming season, including reality, game shows and sports, and networks are finding scripted shows from other nations or within their corporate portfolios. College Football on CBS starts Saturday, September 2 with Texas Tech taking on Wyoming in prime, and a week later, it's UCLA versus San Diego State. On Thursday, September 14, there's a Big Brother live show, then the debut of Buddy Games, a Josh Duhamel competition series. After that is The Challenge: USA. On Saturday, September 16, it's the 36th season premiere of 48 Hours, with two new episodes. Sunday, September 17 has the 56th season of 60 Minutes beginning, then the premiere of Yellowstone on broadcast TV. The show airs on Paramount Network, a corporate sibling of CBS. Season one will start on CBS that night. Big Brother, which began August 2, follows. Saturday, September 23 has Big Ten football, as Iowa faces Penn State. Sunday, September 24 has 60 Minutes, two episodes of Yellowstone, then Big Brother. Monday, September 25 features the NCIS 20th Anniversary Mini-Marathon across prime. Survivor and The Amazing Race both debut Wednesday, September 27, and both have 90-minute episodes all season. It is season 45 of Survivor and season 35 of Amazing Race. Friday, September 29 has reruns of Fire Country and Blue Bloods. Monday, October 2 offers The Price is Right at Night, then Loteria Loca debuts. A game show, Loteria Loca is hosted by Jaime Camil. The title roughly translates to "crazy lottery." Tuesday, October 3 has Big Brother and the debut of FBI True from Paramount+. The docuseries sees FBI agents tell harrowing stories from their time on the job. An FBI rerun follows. Monday, October 9 has The Price is Right at Night, Loteria Loca and an NCIS rerun. Friday, October 13 has The Price is Right at Night and the premiere of game show Raid the Cage, where two teams grab prizes from the Cage before their time runs out, and answer trivia questions to get more time to grab goodies. Blue Bloods reruns follow. Thursday, November 2 has Big Brother, reruns of Young Sheldon and Ghosts, and Seal Team, which began on CBS and then moved to Paramount+ in 2021. Friday, November 3 has Let's Make a Deal Primetime and Raid the Cage, then Blue Bloods reruns. Saturday, November 4 has an SEC college football game, and Saturday, November 11 offers the NWSL (National Women's Soccer League) championship game. Thursday, November 16 has Ghosts reruns, then two episodes of the U.K. Ghosts that inspired the American series. SEAL Team closes out prime that night. The (revised) schedule... |
posted 8/3/2023 |
|
|
"Love Island" Going All-Star? |
|
ITV's winter edition of "Love Island" is going to look a little different next year. Variety understands that the British broadcaster is still going ahead with a winter show in 2024, but that instead of a new class of Islanders, ITV will invite back former contestants for an "all-stars" edition. This would be the first time ITV bosses have set up an all-stars season for the popular U.K. format, which has been adapted all over the world. Given its global profile, it's believed top contestants from international versions in Australia and the U.S. would also be included alongside British Islanders in the winter season. (The most recent summer edition of "Love Island" featured two Australian contestants, so there's already some international involvement.) The move comes as "Love Island" continues to see a steady decline in its summer ratings. The show wrapped its Season 10 finale on Monday, drawing just 1.3 million viewers across the 90-minute program, according to Overnights ratings figures published by U.K. outlet Broadcast. |
posted 8/2/2023 |
|
|
Thursday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
"The Traitors" Heads to Books |
|
Get ready to put your detective skills to the test in the treacherous world of deception and betrayal with 'The Traitors: The Interactive Puzzle Book', published by Century, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Inspired by the BAFTA award-winning BBC smash hit reality TV gameshow, this immersive book will challenge readers to navigate through a castle in the Scottish Highlands, where they must determine who among their fellow players is faithful and who is a traitor. Authored by Alan Connor, known for 'Richard Osman's House of Games', and with a foreword by Amanda Lovett, a contestant and 'Traitor' from the series, the book allows readers to shape their destiny by making decisions that influence the storyline. Every choice leads to different outcomes, but beware – taking a wrong turn might lead to being murdered by the traitors. Suitable for solo play or group fun, 'The Traitors' offers over 20 standalone games for pairs or larger groups, complete with cunning twists reminiscent of the TV show. 'The Traitors' gained widespread acclaim since its first airing in November 2022, produced by Studio Lambert Scotland. Garnering 34 million views on iPlayer, the show received two BAFTA awards for Best Reality and Constructed Factual, along with Best Entertainment Performance by Claudia Winkleman. Fans have been eager to experience the world of 'The Traitors', and now, with the official tie-in book, they can immerse themselves in the gripping storyline and cunning puzzles that captivated audiences worldwide. Penguin's Century imprint, known for its diverse and engaging non-fiction titles, acquired the UK & Commonwealth rights (excluding Canada) from All3Media International following a competitive auction. |
posted 8/2/2023 |
|
|
BBC Crosses "The Finish Line" |
|
Roman Kemp has said he is "excited" as he issued a career announcement and bagged a new TV role. Celebrity Gogglebox and ITV I'm A Celebrity star Roman is set to host the new BBC quiz show The Finish Line. The show has been dubbed the Beeb's answer to ITV The Chase. The 30-year-old said: "I'm so excited to be hosting The Finish Line, coming to BBC One this summer. I'm a huge fan of quiz shows and with this being my first time hosting one, I really can't wait for people to see it. "I love that it's a brand-new format but based on an iconic horse-racing fairground game. The show is challenging and unpredictable; we know that viewers will be hooked!" Roman hosts the show alongside Sarah Greene. Sarah, 65, added: "I'm absolutely thrilled that people can watch The Finish Line soon. It's quickfire, nail-biting and utterly compelling. AND I get to keep cheeky Roman Kemp and our fabulous contestants on their toes!" BBC Daytime commissioning editor Alex McLeod said: "I am so excited that we are bringing a brand new quiz format to the schedule. This new show will be packed full of excitement, anticipation and will have audiences on the edge of their seats – and we're chomping at the bit to announce who the hosts will be!" Michael Kelpie, MD of Potato and Executive Producer, said: " It's such an exciting time for the team behind The Finish Line, and we're very much looking forward to working closely with the BBC over the coming months as we continue to expand our slate of premium quiz show formats." |
posted 8/2/2023 |
|
|
Exit for Eden |
|
Eden Gaha is exiting his role as president at LA- and Sydney-based unscripted firm Eureka Productions after just over a year. The veteran executive and showrunner, who officially joined in June 2022 to help accelerate growth in the US, said he is leaving the Fremantle-backed outfit to return to original production, creating shows and showrunning. "We are hugely grateful to Eden for all he has done in his role as president," said co-CEO Chris Culvenor. "He is leaving Eureka's US business in better shape than ever, with multiple upcoming productions for major networks and platforms, and a phenomenal development slate, more on which we hope to announce soon. We wish him the very best of luck with his next venture." Led by Culvenor and fellow co-CEO Paul Franklin, Eureka's US production credits include an adaptation of Farmer Wants a Wife (Fox), Holey Moley (ABC) and The Mole (Netflix). Gaha is former president of unscripted television at Endemol Shine North America, and was also showrunner on the Eureka-produced gameshow Frogger for Peacock prior to joining the US-Australian outfit. "I'm incredibly proud of what we've achieved together since I joined the Eureka team, including the launch of seven original series, many of which are returning. Mission accomplished," said Gaha. "This was not my first time working with Chris and Paul and I know it won't be the last, but it's so long for now as I return to my roots as an independent producer, creator and showrunner." |
posted 8/2/2023 |
|
|
Meet the Queens of "Drag Race Brasil" |
|
Get those Brazil nuts in front of my face! RuPaul's Drag Race production company World of Wonder announced Wednesday the Drag Race Brasil season 1 cast of queens, including 12 Brazilian beauties set to compete for the nation's first Drag Race crown. The cast includes a queen who transitions between "beauty and monstrosity" and a contestant who bills herself as the "daughter of the darkness of the north," alongside a pop DJ, a fashion photographer, and a "gourmet clown," among others. Grag Queen — the drag vocalist of Brazil — is making her voice heard once again as the Drag Race Brazil host. The Queen of the Universe singing competition winner will preside over the Drag Race Brazil season 1 panel, production company World of Wonder and Paramount+ announced Wednesday. Born in Canela, a city in the Serra Gaúcha mountains, Grag Queen rose to international prominence as the winner of Queen of the Universe's inaugural season, thanks to her stunning vocal prowess and jaw-dropping looks on the stage. In addition to her work as a drag entertainer, Grag Queen has released a string of singles, including "Party Everyday," "Milkshake," and "Que Passa." |
posted 8/2/2023 |
|
|
|
|
Nitin Chandrakant Desai, the prominent Bollywood production designer of the Oscar-nominated music sports drama Lagaan, has died. He was 57. Desai reportedly was found dead at his studio in Karat, near Mumbai. The Indian Express and other local news agencies have reported police initially are suspecting suicide. Investigations are continuing. Desai was known for his colorful work on the 2001 blockbuster Lagaan and Devdas, the BAFTA-nominated Indian drama from a year later. During his long career he also worked on another Oscar-nominated feature, 1988's Salaam Bombay!, and on 1942: A Love Story (1993), Hum Do De Choke Sanam (1999) and Jodhaa Akbar (2008), among others. He also designed the set for Kaun Banega Crorepati? in Slumdog Millionaire and worked as a producer on several films and TV shows. He also directed Hello Jai Hind! and Ajintha, the former of which he also acted in. Desai set up ND Studios in Karjat, where he is believed to have been found, in 2005. He won four National Film Awards for Best Art Direction and three Filmfare Best Art Direction Awards, with his set design considered among the most historically accurate and intricate in Bollywood history. His passing has had a profound effect on India's TV and film community. A video posted on Twitter shows actor Suniel Shetty respond to a question during a press conference to say: "Heartfelt condolences to him and his family. All I know he was one of the most talented and humble art directors and one of the finest human beings." If you or anyone you know in the US is having thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255 for free, confidential support 24/7, or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources. In other territories, please call your local suicide hotline. |
posted 8/2/2023 |
|
|
Wednesday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
MONDAY: Ninjas, Bachelorette Split |
|
In the latest TV show ratings, ABC's The Bachelorette led Monday in the demo, while NBC's American Ninja Warrior delivered the night's largest audience. The Bachelorette (with 2.5 million total viewers and a 0.4 rating) was down a tenth in the demo week-to-week. Claim to Fame (1.6 mil/0.2, review the latest clues) was rock steady. American Ninja Warrior (3 mil/0.3) was steady. Fox's Stars on Mars (910K/0.2) added a handful of eyeballs, while Crime Scene Kitchen (1.1 mil/0.2) was steady. The CW's Son of a Critch (440K/0.1) was steady vs. its week-ago U.S. debut, the acquired Run the Burbs premiered to 400K and a 0.0, Children Ruin Everything (290K/0.0) was steady, and Bump opened Season 2 with its third-smallest CW audience (207K) and a typical 0.0 rating. |
posted 8/1/2023 |
|
|
|
|
Paul Reubens, known best by his character name Pee-wee Herman, died Sunday after a private six-year battle with cancer. He was 70. "Please accept my apology for not going public with what I've been facing the last six years," Reubens wrote on an Instagram message posted today. "I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you." The post's caption, written by his estate, reads: "Last night we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an iconic American actor, comedian, writer and producer whose beloved character Pee-wee Herman delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy and belief in the importance of kindness. Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit. A gifted and prolific talent, he will forever live in the comedy pantheon and in our hearts as a treasured friend and man of remarkable character and generosity of spirit." Born Paul Rubenfeld in Peekskill, NY, Reubens — whose iconic character both parodied and celebrated children's TV hosts of the 1950s and would become a cherished figure among kids who loved his gentle but anarchic humor and the adults who appreciated the wit behind it — was an improv comedian and actor who got his big break in Los Angeles as part of The Groundlings in the 1970s. He remained with the troupe for six years, building a friendship and a collaboration with fellow Groundling Phil Hartman. In 1980, Reubens had a small part as a waiter in The Blues Brothers Movie. That same year, he had a small but scene-stealing role as a put-upon hotel clerk who deals with the title characters in Cheech and Chong's Next Movie. He tries in vain to get LAPD to respond to his call for help – but then has an idea. "I think they're Iranians," he says. Cut to image of speeding cop cars with sirens blaring. All the while, he was developing the character that would shoot the actor to international fame in the 1980s. By 1982, Reubens was spotlighting the fully-formed character — dressed in a too-small gray suit, white shirt and red bow-tie, his short hair slick with what an earlier era might have called greasy kid stuff — in a live act called The Pee-wee Herman Show, a routine already so popular that HBO handed Reubens his own special built around the stage show. Rarely seen in public out of character, Reubens meshed so well with the child-like (but occasionally naughty) Pee-wee that the actor and character developed both a small but devoted following that quickly expanded to the mainstream. In 1985, he starred in Tim Burton's breakthrough hit film Pee-wee's Big Adventure, which Reubens co-wrote with Hartman. It features numerous quotable lines and Pee-wee's wild dance to "Tequila" on the tables in a biker bar that saved him from a beating. Three years later, Reubens starred in the sequel Big Top Pee-wee. Parody crossed over into reality with Pee-wee's Playhouse, the 1986-90 Saturday morning children's program on CBS. With that weekly series, Reubens eliminated the edgier aspects of the earlier live show, becoming a kids' show favorite complete with catchphrases ("I meant to do that") and shelves-full of merchandise, from dolls, playsets and Halloween costumes, to name a few. The series would also feature Reubens' old friend and fellow Groundling Hartman (as the character Captain Carl during the first season), Laurence Fishburne, Lynne Marie Stewart, and S. Epatha Merkerson. Other familiar names who guested on Pee-wee's Playhouse include Jimmy Smits, Sandra Bernhard, Leslie Jordan and Calvert De Forest, who played Larry "Bud" Melman on Late Night with David Letterman. Reubens' career came to an abrupt, and years-long, halt in July 1991 when he was arrested in a adult theater in Sarasota, FL, and charged with indecent exposure. The incident made international headlines, considerable ridicule and a quick end to the reams of merchandise on toy store shelves. CBS, which already had canceled the Saturday show pre-scandal, ended all reruns of the program. Pleading no contest to the charge, Reubens was sentenced to community service, for which he produced two antidrug public-service announcements. Reubens was widely defended by many in Hollywood, but he largely avoided public appearances during the time. He finally re-emered, in character, at the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards, delivering the instant-classic opening line, "Heard any good jokes lately?" He'd sit out most of the 1990s, re-emerging in the 1999 feature film Mystery Men and, in 2001, Blow. By this time, Reubens typically left the Pee-wee character behind. (In 2004, Reubens, who collected what he would describe as kitschy historical erotica, pleaded guilty to an obscenity misdemeanor following a 2002 search of his home.) His game show resume spans at least four decades itself, appearing on "To Tell the Truth", "Celebrity Family Feud", "Celebrity Wheel of Fortune", "Top Chef", and "Face Off". Early in his career, he was a contestant on "The Dating Game" and "The Gong Show". He would go on to host "You Don't Know Jack", based on the video game of the same name, as character "Troy Stevens". Other post-scandal credits include Reno 911! (2006), a hilarious turn on 30 Rock (2007), Pushing Daisies (2007), Life During Wartime (2009), The Blacklist (2014–2015), Accidental Love (2015) and Mosaic (2018). In 2010, Reubens took The Pee-wee Herman Show to Broadway for a limited engagement, beginning previews on October 26, 2010, and running at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre through January 2, 2011. The production was recorded for an HBO special, The Pee-wee Herman Show on Broadway, which premiered on March 19, 2011. In recent years, Reubens revealed that he was working on various Pee-wee projects, including one script geared toward adults. One of them came to fruition: Pee-wee's Big Holiday, which debuted on Netflix in 2016. Reubens is survived by sister Abby and her wife Helia; brother Luke; and nieces Lily and Sarah. |
posted 8/1/2023 |
|
|
Tuesday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
"Special Forces" Season 2 Recruits |
|
FOX's ultimate celebrity social experiment, Special Forces: World's Toughest Test, returns for a second season, enlisting a troop of household names to endure some of the harshest, most grueling challenges from the playbook of the actual Special Forces selection process. This time around, the recruits will be faced with the harsh reality of winter warfare training on the mountains of New Zealand where the terrain and freezing temperatures are brutal and the tasks will feel like torture. They will face the ice breaker drill where they will be submerged in a frozen lake to find their body temperature plummeting to near hypothermic levels. They will attempt a treacherous ravine crossing atop a 4700 ft snowcapped mountain peak as well as an emergency escape out of a helicopter submerged deep in icy waters. There are no votes, and no eliminations - just survival. These celebrities, who are so used to being in the spotlight, will quickly learn the meaning of "no guts, no glory" - and no glam. Selection for the Special Forces is a test unlike any other. Fourteen celebrities from all genres and walks of life, will take on, and try to survive, demanding training exercises led by Directing Staff (DS) agents Rudy Reyes, Mark "Billy" Billingham, Jason "Foxy" Fox and new agent, Jovon "Q" Quarles, an elite team of ex-special forces operatives. In this unique series, the only way for these recruits to leave is to give up on their own accord, through failure or potential injury, or by force from the DS. Special Forces: World's Toughest Test is the ultimate test of physical, mental and emotional resilience - revealing these celebrities' deepest and truest character. Who will quit, who will survive? S pecial Forces: World's Toughest Test is produced by Minnow Films. Sophie Leonard, Liam Humphreys, and Becky Clarke serve as Executive Producers. Meet the 14 celebrity recruits joining the Special Forces: |
posted 7/31/2023 |
|
|
SUNDAY: Tough as Nails Ends on a High |
|
In the latest TV ratings, ABC's Sunday game shows tied CBS' 60 Minutes rerun for the demo win, while the latter also clocked in with the night's largest audience. Now each airing an hour earlier, Celebrity Family Feud (with 3.4 million total viewers and a 0.3 demo rating) and $100,000 Pyramid (3.1 mil/0.3) both added viewers and held steady in the demo. Leading out of 60 Minutes (5.3 mil/0.3), Tough as Nails' finale (2.5 mil/0.2) delivered a season high in audience. This week's HouseBroken double pump (averaging 420K and a 0.1) was up in viewers on Fox. After dipping in audience in Week 2 on the CW, The Chosen (450K/0.0) appears to have gained a few more followers in Week 3. |
posted 7/31/2023 |
|
|
Cutthroat Kitchen Crosses the Atlantic |
|
Channel 4 is developing a version of The Food Network's sabotage cooking show Cutthroat Kitchen. According to The Sun, the UK broadcaster is working with Warner Bros.-owned First Dates indie Twenty Twenty on a version of the show that ran for 15 seasons in the U.S. A Channel 4 insider said the show is still in the development stage and has not been officially greenlit. Hosted by Alton Brown, Cutthroat Kitchen ran in the U.S. for 15 seasons and nearly 200 episodes across four years on the Food Network. It features four chefs competing in a three-round elimination cooking competition with a twist – they are given $25,000 at the start and face auctions in which they can purchase opportunities to 'sabotage' one another. The last person standing keeps whatever money they have not spent in the auctions. |
posted 7/31/2023 |
|
|
Monday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inga Swenson, the two-time Tony-nominated singer and actress who as the dictatorial German cook Gretchen Kraus sparred with Robert Guillaume's character on the 1980s ABC sitcom Benson, has died. She was 90. Swenson died Sunday night of natural causes in hospice care in Los Angeles, her son, Mark Harris, told The Hollywood Reporter. Swenson also sparkled in two critically acclaimed 1962 films released seven weeks apart — as the mother of Helen Keller (Patty Duke) in Arthur Penn's The Miracle Worker (1962) and as the wife of a U.S. senator with a dark secret (Don Murray) in Otto Preminger's political thriller Advise & Consent (1962). On the strength of those performances, the Omaha, NE native — no, she was not born in Germany — was cast in 1963 as the spinster Lizzy in 110 in the Shade, based on N. Richard Nash's play The Rainmaker. She received a Tony nomination for best actress in a musical for that performance, then landed another for her turn as Sherlock Holmes foe Irene Adler in the Hal Prince-directed Baker Street a year later. In 1978, Swenson showed up midway through the first season of the ABC comedy Soap as Ingrid Svenson, the Swedish birth mother of Corinne Tate (Diana Canova). When Guillaume, who portrayed the scene-stealing butler Benson DuBois on that series, was given a spinoff, Swenson came along to play Gretchen, a German immigrant. The statuesque Swenson and Guillaume worked alongside each other inside the governor's mansion for seven seasons (1979-86), and she received Emmy noms in 1980, '82 and '85 for her work. A running gag had Benson insulting Gretchen under his breath, only to have her bellow, "I hear you!" Before the Susan Harris-created Soap and Benson, "I never had any interest in sitcoms because I lacked all the qualities," she explained in a 1983 interview. "I walk into a casting office and sit down with my knees together. People take one look and say, 'You're not funny. You don't even have a funny face.'" During that time, Swenson made appearances on "Family Feud" and "Password". In addition to her son, an assistant editor with credits including Blues Brothers 2000 and Digging to China, survivors include her husband, singer-actor Lowell Harris (West Side Story), whom she married in February 1953, and her granddaughter, Lily. Another son, James, died at age 26 in a motorcycle accident in 1987. |
posted 7/28/2023 |
|
|
Univision to Play "Voice" |
|
Univision announced the premiere date and details of its music game show VEO CÓMO CANTAS (I See How You Sing/I Can See Your Voice) set to air on Sunday, August 6 at 7p/6c. Hosted by actor and comedian Faisy("Faisy Nights", "Me Caigo de Risa,") VEO CÓMO CANTAS promises to bring new and fun experiences to Univision's "Domingos en Familia" (Family Sundays) audience. VEO CÓMO CANTAS is a new TV show with a touch of humor, mystery, and music. Two contestants must use their wit and abilities to identify who among a group of 10 "secret singers" are in fact bad singers who want to deceive them. These enigmatic voices will be hidden behind "characters" with very defined identities. Over the course of seven rounds, a group of "advisors" made up of important figures from the world of entertainment: José Eduardo Derbez ("Vino el Amor", "Renta Congelada,") Natalia Téllez ("40 y 20", "HOY"), Erika Buenfil("Perdona Nuestros Pecados", "Vencer El Pasado,") Beto Cuevas (lead singer of the group "La Ley") and international music star Ricardo Montaner will help the contestants avoid falling into the trap of those who do not sing well and be able to eliminate them from the game. For each eliminated singer, the contestant will accumulate money and in the final round, the special guest of the night, a renowned singer, will perform a live duet with the last character of the game. If the mystery voice is in fact a good singer, the contestant will win a cash prize, but if it turns out to be a bad singer with a terrible voice, the contestant will go home with no money. VEO CÓMO CANTAS has had massive success in more than 30 countries and finally makes its way to U.S. Hispanic television with many surprises on Univision's "Domingos en Familia." For more information visit televisaunivision.com and join the conversation on Twitter and Instagram. |
posted 7/28/2023 |
|
|
More on "Survive the Raft" |
|
Rough seas ahead! Or at least a few waves of drama. Nine people from all walks of life set sail in Discovery's new reality show Survive the Raft—based on a 50-year-old social experiment—that tests not only their survival skills but also their ability to simply get along. Set adrift on the Acali II off the Panama coast for up to 21 days, the strangers bring different skill sets—and, of course, wide-ranging political and belief systems. A hunter and a vegan. A rabbi and a nonbeliever. In the opening minutes, a Black woman instantly pegs another participant as "a redneck" and "a racist." What unites them is a desire to win money, for the group and for themselves. Some of the game involves timed competitions, like retrieving small boxes loaded with cash and getting back to the boat before high tide—but the real challenge is resisting opportunities for treachery (say, keeping the cash instead of sharing). Even worse, new potential contestants with impressive survival skills are introduced. They can stay… but only if someone else is voted off. "When stripped of modern-day creature comforts and connectivity to the outside world, this group is called to be vulnerable with one another, and what we witness is unique," notes host Nate Boyer, a former Army Green Beret. "I think the biggest challenge the contestants face is the battle within. You're going to be tested and pushed to the brink, but can you shoulder that and not be deterred from the ultimate goal?" |
posted 7/28/2023 |
|
|
Drag Race Season 15 Returns... with More! |
|
"Drag Race" fans rejoice. Full 90-minute episodes of "RuPaul's Drag Race" season 15 are headed to Paramount+. From Aug. 9, fans will be able to tune in and relive Sasha Colby entering the "Drag Race" werk room and slaying her way through the season to her crowning glory during the season finale when she became "America's Next Drag Superstar." Fans will also be able to revisit other season highlights including the Emmy-nominated episode featuring "Wigloose: The Rusical." Season 15 of "RuPaul's Drag Race" heralded a major move for the show, as it hopped from VH1 to MTV and went from a 90-minute format to 60 minutes. But fans wanted more "Drag Race" not less. "You asked for it, and you got it – and we're thrilled to deliver 90-minute episodes for all of Season 15, showcasing the joy and genius of this legendary cast," said Executive Producers Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato. The extended episodes come in celebration of the show's nine Emmy nominations including outstanding reality competition program and outstanding casting for a reality program. RuPaul also landed a nomination for outstanding host for a reality or competition program. Ru is already the most decorated Black artist in Emmys history. |
posted 7/27/2023 |
|
|
Thursday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
Meet the Golden Bachelor...Gerry Turner! |
|
Audiences will soon watch 71-year-old Gerry Turner embark on his journey toward a second chance at love in ABC's new series The Golden Bachelor. The latest iteration of the series focuses on folks looking for a partner in their golden years and, as ABC points out in a new teaser, some things only get better with age. Hopefully, Turner's love story is one of them. The teaser promises that, wherever he ends up, his journey is "worth the wait." Turner acknowledges that he's not accustomed to dating 20 women at once, but he's ready to take on the task. |
posted 7/26/2023 |
|
|
Cash Cab to Roll Again... Kind Of |
|
AXS TV hits the road this summer with the popular Canadian version of the beloved commuter trivia show Cash Cab - making its network debut in primetime starting August 1. The acquisition puts the spotlight on over 100 episodes of the series, offering complete coverage of seasons five through eight. Cash Cab will air every Tuesday and Wednesday night back-to-back at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Hosted by comedian - and licensed Toronto cab driver - Adam Growe, Cash Cab sends unsuspecting patrons on the ride of a lifetime, giving them the chance to answer a series of increasingly-difficult trivia questions for cash prizes while en route to their destination. In contrast to its global counterparts, which tend to focus on more general knowledge, Canada's Cash Cab puts greater emphasis on questions pertaining to science, technology, nature, and adventure. "The Cash Cab franchise is beloved by viewers around the world, and the Canadian entry has already been incredibly well-received by viewers on fellow Anthem properties Game TV and Game+," said Katie Daryl, AXS TV's Vice President of Programming. "We are proud to partner with series producers Castlewood Productions to bring this hit version Stateside on AXS TV, and our viewers should stay tuned for more news in the near future." Cash Cab Canada is produced by Castlewood Productions. The Cash Cab format was created by Lion TV, and is distributed by All3Media International. Cash Cab launched in 2005 in the United Kingdom and has since been adapted in more than 50 countries, with over 9,000 episodes produced worldwide in territories including Australia, Thailand, The Netherlands and the US, where it won six Daytime Emmy(R) Awards and aired for over 400 episodes. |
posted 7/25/2023 |
|
|
"Wheel of Fortune Live" Spins Into Year 2 |
|
"Wheel of Fortune LIVE!," a theatrical experience, is kicking off the second year of the theatrical tour on Saturday, October 14, with hosts Mark L. Walberg and Bob Goen. The live stage show, produced by Right Angle Entertainment in collaboration with Sony Pictures Television and UTA, brings America's Game® to your hometown — giving audience members the opportunity to go on stage and feel like they stepped into the game show itself. The full tour route can be found on the tour website, and the host's biographies are below. Tickets for all dates below are on sale now. VIP Packages are available for fans early access, premiere seats, pre-show lounge access and photo opportunities to spin the wheel. For the full route, tickets, host information for each city, and more information about the touring production, please visit www.WheelofFortuneLive.com. One of the greatest game shows of all time has been adapted into a stage show to give more fans access and more chances to win at "Wheel of Fortune LIVE!" The live stage show is the only way you can have the chance to spin a full-sized replica of the iconic Wheel. Contestants are randomly selected from the audience to go on stage for the chance to call consonants, buy vowels, and maybe even solve puzzles to win fantastic prizes, including trips to destinations like Paris and Hawaii or up to $10,000 in cash. Everyone gets in on the fun and a chance to win at Wheel of Fortune LIVE! because there are audience games too! Bob Goen is an American game show emcee and television personality. Bob is well known for hosting multiple game shows, including Home Shopping Game, The Hollywood Game, and That's the Question. He's hosted on The Wheel of Fortune TV show from 1989 – 1991 (CBS) and then again in 1991 (NBC). His talents have extended to hosting multiple Miss Universe pageants, serving as a desert-area correspondent for ESPN, and Bob had a long-standing career with Entertainment Tonight. He has voiced a cartoon version of himself on an episode of Nickelodeon's hit TV show The Fairly OddParents. Wheel of Fortune LIVE! is a live touring production and is not for broadcast. |
posted 7/26/2023 |
|
|
Let's Try This Again... |
|
Tom Bergeron, Bob Eubanks, Marc Summers, and Glen Scarpelli will be live and in-person, with Pat Sajak, Vanna White and the great Peter Marshall among the icons who will be on video to celebrate 75 Years of Game Shows... and YOU CAN BE THERE live and in-person! Since 1966, Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters / Hollywood Media Professionals has been a membership-only industry organization of broadcast professionals who have met for lunches, roasts, nostalgia nights and all manner of other activities, and NONE of it has ever been open to the public - never, until now. The event, which was supposed to be held in 2020 before the pandemic, will be held Sunday, August 20th. Doors open at 11am at the Hilton Hotel Grand Ballroom in Woodland Hills. A delicious all-you-can-eat full buffet brunch will be available with time to socialize before the event begins shortly after 12noon. Among other highlights will be an additional salute to beloved veteran producer and Promotional Consideration executive Art Alisi, and a live audience game with prizes including a weekend at the famous Hotel Del Coronado, and a substantially-sized gift card to Best Buy. You can also get the latest word on the new National Archives of Game Show History at The Strong Museum. |
posted 7/26/2023 |
|
|
Wednesday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
The Band's Back Together |
|
Ryan Seacrest isn't letting his new gig as Wheel of Fortune host deter him from his first love: American Idol. Seacrest, who has hosted the reality singing competition since it premiered in 2002, will return to emcee Season 22 on ABC. And with his first episode of Wheel not slated to air until September 2024, you'll see Seacrest back on the Idol stage long before you see him palling around with Vanna White. Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie, all of whom have been with Idol since it was rebooted in 2018, will also return to the judges panel — which means the show's producers are probably already discussing which costume they'll squeeze Perry into for Disney Night 2024. American Idol wrapped Season 21 in May, crowning Hawaiian crooner Iam Tongi the winner. The show's virtual "Idol Across America" search kicks off Wednesday, Aug. 2. For more information on how to audition, including a breakdown of the schedule and process, visit AmericanIdol.com/auditions. |
posted 7/25/2023 |
|
|
MONDAY: Back to Normal? |
|
In the latest TV show ratings, ABC's The Bachelorette led Monday in the demo, while CBS' The Neighborhood rerun copped the night's largest audience. Now back in its usual time slot, The Bachelorette added a few eyeballs (drawing 2.5 million total viewers) and was steady in the demo (with a 0.4). Claim to Fame, however, dropped hard to series lows of 1.6 mil and 0.2. Fox's Stars on Mars (840K/0.1) fell to new lows, while Crime Scene Kitchen (1.1 mil/0.2) was steady. NBC's Ninja Warrior (3 mil/0.3) dipped, but The Wall (2.5 mil/0.3) held steady. The CW's stateside debut of Son of a Critch did 460K/0.1 and then 420K/0.0 (improving on The Rising's average of 343K/0.0). Children Ruin Everything drew 310K/0.0 and 290K/0.1. Said aforementioned Neighborhood repeat drew 3.1 million viewers herewith. |
posted 7/25/2023 |
|
|
|
|
Pamela Blair, an actress and dancer best known for her roles in the original Broadway cast of "A Chorus Line" and in soap opera "All My Children," has died. She was 73 years old. Blair died Sunday in her home in Phoenix, per media reports. Her passing came after a "long battle" with an unnamed illness, her representative Dani Green said. Blair, who made her major stage debut in 1968's "Promises, Promises" and later starred in productions as varied as "Sugar and Seesaw," "Of Mice and Men," "King of Hearts," "The Nerd" and "A Few Good Men" in addition to "A Chorus Line," was celebrated online Monday and Tuesday by past costars and collaborators. "A Chorus Line" costar Baayork Lee posted on Facebook Monday, calling Blair her "Sagittarian sister" nicknaming her "Walt Disney Pammie." "We always wrote to one another no matter where we were on that day. What a colorful character she was, as depicted in the Val monologue in the show," Lee wrote. "She brought the house down every night, as well as a woman standing at the edge of the orchestra shouting, 'Wash your mouth out.' You are free now Pammie, so dance, dance, dance among the stars." The official Twitter account for Marvin Hamlisch, the late composer behind "A Chorus Line," commemorated Blair's death with a black and white photo and caption: "The character was loosely based on her own life, and she was a part of the musical from the very first workshop," they wrote of her role, Val. "Our thoughts are with her loved ones and fans." Blair was born in Bennington, Vermont, on Dec. 5, 1949. Following a main stage breakout in "A Chorus Line," a production she began working with at age 25, Blair originated another role on Broadway: Amber/Angel in 1978's "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas." Screenwork was to follow with arcs on "All My Children" Mrs. Goodman and Maida Andrews from 1985–1992, plus other small-screen roles on "Sabrina," "The Cosby Show," "Ryan's Hope" and more. Blair was on a week of "Celebrity Family Feud". |
posted 7/25/2023 |
|
|
Vanna White Signs for Celebrity |
|
Pat Sajak is leaving Wheel of Fortune, but co-host Vanna White has reportedly negotiated a deal to continue lighting up letters on the celebrity version. TMZ reports that she "settled for $100k an episode," a "meaningful bump" in her current salary, although it's unclear if it was half of Sajak's salary, which is what her lawyer, Bryan Freedman, was seeking. Sajak announced in June that the season that begins in September will be his last. He and White have been on the show together since 1982, and she's even hosted in his place. So there was talk about whether she would replace Sajak before Ryan Seacrest officially accepted the role. In the latest, TMZ said Sony would not disclose how much Sajak is pulling in for Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, although they hear that it's a little more than $400,000 per episode. Negotiations for White's work on the syndicated series are on pause, because of the writer's strike. That shouldn't be a problem in the immediate future, since her contract for that still has another year on it. However, the outlook's not good, as Sony reportedly nixed Freedman's idea to have a game show expert determine a "fair figure" for White. A source was quoted as saying, "It's gonna get ugly if they [Sony] don't get more serious." |
posted 7/24/2023 |
|
|
SUNDAY: Game Shows vs. Jesus |
|
In the latest TV show ratings, three ABC game shows tied for the Sunday demo win, while CBS' 60 Minutes rerun clocked in with the night's largest audience. ABC's The Prank Panel (with 2.1 million total viewers and a 0.3 demo rating) and Celebrity Family Feud (2.8 mil/0.3) were both steady in the demo, while $100,000 Pyramid (2.6 mil/0.3) ticked down. Leading out of 60 Minutes (4.7 mil/0.2), Tough as Nails (2.2 mil/0.2) rebounded from last week's demo low, while the Tony Bennett/Lady Gaga special encore did 1.6 mil and a 0.1. Fox's HouseBroken's latest double pump averaged 410K and a 0.1. The CW's The Chosen (430K/0.0) dipped 7% in audience from its Stateside broadcast debut, and was also down a precious tenth in the demo. |
posted 7/24/2023 |
|
|
|
|
Legendary performer Tony Bennett, a 20-time Grammy Award winner who sold more than 50 million albums worldwide, died Friday at the age of 96. His publicist, Sylvia Weiner, confirmed his death to the New York Times. Bennett was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2016. His family first went public with his diagnosis in February 2021. He retired from touring shortly thereafter, and his final performance was filmed for the CBS concert special One Last Time: An Evening With Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga. Together, Bennett and Gaga released two albums: 2014's Cheek to Cheek, which was Bennett's last No. 1 record, and 2021's Love for Sale, which marked his final studio release. His career spanned more than 70 years. He released a whopping 61 studio albums and 11 live albums. His first LP, Because of You, was released in 1952. Four of his albums were certified platinum, including I Left My Heart in San Francisco (1962), MTV Unplugged: Tony Bennett (1994), Duets: An American Classic (2006) and Duets II (2011). Top 10 singles included "Because of You," "Cold, Cold Heart," "Rags to Riches," "Strangers in Paradise," "There'll Be No Teardrops Tonight," "Cinnamon Sinner" and "In the Middle of an Island." Bennett is most commonly associated with the song "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," the title track from his 1962 album — his first to land in the Top 5 on the Billboard 200. The album earned him his first career Grammys (for Record of the Year and Best Solo Vocal Performance, Male). The song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1994, while Bennett received the Recording Academy's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001. His acting credits included episodes of The Danny Thomas Show, 77 Sunset Strip and Evening Shade. He also appeared as himself on The Doris Day Show, Cybill, Suddenly Susan, Cosby, Saturday Night Live, Entourage, Blue Bloods and 30 Rock. Game show appearances include giving clues about himself on "Jeopardy!" as well as appearances on "Strictly Come Dancing", "America's Got Talent", "American Idol", and "The X Factor". On the big screen, he appeared in The Oscar, The Scout, Analyze This, Bruce Almighty and Muppets Most Wanted. |
posted 7/24/2023 |
|
|
Remembering Alex on His Birthday |
|
Jeopardy! fans are paying tribute to Alex Trebek on what would have been his 83rd birthday today, July 22. The official Instagram account for the game show made a post in commemoration of the TV icon, with a throwback photo of Trebek on set, accompanied by the text, "Happy Birthday, Alex!" The caption read, "Celebrating Alex Trebek on what would have been his 83rd birthday ����," and fans soon followed with tributes for the beloved TV personality, turning the comments into something of a guestbook as viewers shared their fond memories and grief over the loss of the Jeopardy! host. |
posted 7/24/2023 |
|
|
BET Gets Into Square Biz |
|
BET is reportedly interested in reviving "Hollywood Squares" for its network. "Celebrity Squares" an exciting reimagining of the game show classic Hollywood Squares mixed in with the comedy of Hip Hop Squares. : In each episode, 2 lucky contestants battle it out in an epic game of Tic-Tac-Toe by putting their black pop-culture knowledge to the test all in the hopes of winning $10,000!" A host will be named at a future date. |
posted 7/24/2023 |
|
|
Discovery Survives the Raft |
|
SURVIVE THE RAFT follows nine diverse contestants who set sail on the Acali II for twenty-one days to test whether personal interest will sabotage the team's chance to win a fortune together. The stakes are high: with each successful mission, the team earns money towards a communal cash pot that will be divided equally by those who make it to the end. Every week, participants are tasked with completing physical and intellectual challenges designed to disrupt and divide the group. At the end of each episode, the crew of the Acali II are given the option to continue as a group, or swap one of their own for a new participant. Will the good for all outweigh the good for one? |
posted 7/24/2023 |
|
|
Monday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
Happy Friday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
More on the "Takeshi's Castle" Reboot |
|
Legendary Japanese gameshow Takeshi's Castle is getting a UK reboot for Amazon Prime Video, with comedians Romesh Ranganathan and Tom Davis providing the commentary for the brutal, yet hilarious challenges. Due to air on Prime from Wednesday August 30, the new series will be available for UK and Ireland members, as the contestants try their best with the physical challenges in an attempt to reach Takeshi's Castle and win the prize of 1 million yen. In a joint statement, Romesh and Tom said: "Nothing is more magical than a reboot of a successful show from yesteryear, heavy though is the pressure in bringing back the wonder that is Takeshi's Castle. The new series was filmed at the same place as the original show, at Midoriyama Studio in Japan, where over 300 contestants were picked from over 1000 applicants last year. |
posted 7/20/2023 |
|
|
|
|
Two former "Love Island USA" crew members have filed a lawsuit against show producers ITV and NBCUniversal, alleging violations of California's employment laws and mistreatment of contestants. The complaint, filed Wednesday in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, relies on the testimony of plaintiffs Jasmine Crestwell and Alex Rinks, both of whom worked as Villa producers during the fourth installment of the reality dating show — the first season after the show had moved from CBS to NBCUniversal-owned streaming service Peacock. The lawsuit alleges that, in an effort to bolster ratings, "Love Island USA" recruited producers behind the hit U.K. version of the series, whose allegedly "racist and abusive practices" negatively impacted the mental health of show contestants. Per court documents obtained by TheWrap, Rinks was concerned by the "unsafe and unsanitary conditions" of the production and alleged that producers denied contestants sleep, food, water and sanitary bathrooms. Moreover, Crestwell alleged that producers pressured female contestants to engage in sexual relationships with male contestants despite their previously stated reservations. They also allegedly made derogatory comments about female contestants' bodies while watching intimate footage of contestants. When widespread concerns of producers were brought to the attention of the show's team of executive producers, EPs scheduled a meeting they said would be a "safe space" to share concerns. Instead, after Rinks and Crestwell brought up their concerns regarding the mistreatment of contestants, they were fired two days later, according to the suit. The complaint alleges that Rinks and Crestwell's termination violates California law that prohibits retaliation against employees that bring up legally protected complaints of discrimination. Hosted by Sarah Hyland and narrated by fan-favorite Love Island U.K. announcer Iain Stirling, Love Island USA will air in real time with new episodes washing ashore on Peacock every day during its first week. From there, the program will then shift to a six-day schedule, with no episodes airing on Wednesdays. Viewers can also influence what happens on the island by voting throughout the season. |
posted 7/20/2023 |
|
|
|
|
NBC kicks off its 2023-24 fall schedule on Sept. 25 with a new season of the Emmy Award-nominated competition series "The Voice," followed by a strong lineup of original programming that includes the premiere of new dramas "The Irrational," starring Jesse L. Martin and "Found," starring Shanola Hampton, as well as new episodes of returning dramas "Quantum Leap" and "Magnum, P.I." all of which will stream next day on Peacock. "The Irrational" will launch Premiere Week on Monday, Sept. 25 at 10 p.m. following the two-hour season premiere of the four-time Emmy Award-winning competition series "The Voice," which features new coach and country music legend Reba McEntire along with returning coaches John Legend, Gwen Stefani and Niall Horan, who's back as the defending champ after taking the crown last season. On Sept. 26 and 27, the "America's Got Talent" penultimate episode and season finale will air during Premiere Week, anchoring the first Wednesday night of the new season with a live two-hour telecast during whch a new champion will be named. In addition, a two-hour live telecast of the first-ever People's Choice Country Awards, an extension of the successful fan-favorite People's Choice Awards brand that features some of the finest acts in country music today, will be simulcast on Sept. 28 across NBC and Peacock. The special will be hosted by country superstars Little Big Town. Tuesday Oct. 3 will feature a two-hour edition of "The Voice," serving as a formidable lead-in to the premiere of the new original drama series "Found," starring Shanola Hampton and Mark-Paul Gosselaar. (Beginning Oct. 10, the first hour of "The Voice" will be a recap of the previous night.) Beginning Oct. 4, Wednesdays feature an all-original drama lineup with new seasons of "Quantum Leap" and "Magnum, P.I." airing at 9 and 10 p.m., respectively. The third season of hospital-set drama "Transplant" will make its return to NBC with new episodes starting on Thursday, Oct. 5. Airing just after Transplant" on Thursdays will be "Dateline NBC" at 10 p.m. Friday's lineup includes new episodes of "Dateline NBC," which begin Sept. 29 at 9 p.m., before "The Wall" returns to the NBC lineup on Nov. 3 at 8 p.m. Premieres for all previously announced fall series - "Night Court," "Extended Family," "Chicago Med," "Chicago Fire," "Chicago P.D.," "Law & Order" and "Law & Order: SVU" - will be announced at a later date. Midseason and/or summer shows previously announced include "Untitled America's Got Talent Series," "Deal or No Deal Island," "Password," "The America's," "Law & Order: Organized Crime," "Lopez vs Lopez" and "La Brea." |
posted 7/19/2023 |
|
|
"Bobby's Triple Threat" Reopens |
|
Food Network icon Bobby Flay is a culinary master who has been competing at the highest level for years and in Bobby's Triple Threat, he has handpicked a trio of top-notch chefs to represent him as the next generation of culinary titans. Each episode is hosted by Bobby from his speakeasy-style kitchen, where titans Tiffany Derry, Michael Voltaggio and Brooke Williamson take on highly skilled competitors in three head-to-head cooking rounds with surprise featured ingredients for a chance to win $25,000. This season, the chefs entering the competition are legendary, including Bobby's friends and fellow Iron Chefs Michael Symon and Jose Garces, and Chopped judge Scott Conant. Bobby's Triple Threat season two premieres Tuesday, August 22nd at 9pm ET/PT on Food Network. "Season one of Triple Threat was just a warmup," said Flay. "In season two, I welcome ten of the best chefs in the country to take on the titans. The challengers walk through the speakeasy door with the utmost confidence - but will they walk out with the same swagger and $25,000? Not if my chefs have anything to say about it." In each episode, one top-notch chef enters Bobby's secret kitchen armed with extraordinary culinary skills and determination to take on Bobby's three titans Tiffany Derry, Michael Voltaggio and Brooke Williamson, one round each. In the first two rounds, Bobby selects the main ingredients and the visiting competitor picks which titan to go up against. The last round features the competitor picking the ingredients to incorporate, while going against the last remaining titan. All the while, one discerning guest judge blind tastes and scores each dish. If the competitor can out-cook the titans and earn more points than their cumulative score, they take home bragging rights and a $25,000 cash prize. In addition to Michael Symon, Jose Garces and Scott Conant, this season's competitors include Kelsey Bernard Clark, Esther Choi, Kelvin Fernandez, Byron Gomez, Rashida Holmes, Mei Lin and Shota Nakajima. "The level of chefs competing in this season of Bobby's Triple Threat is extraordinary - they are truly the best of the best, making these some of the toughest battles we've ever seen," said Betsy Ayala, Head of Content, Food, Warner Bros. Discovery. "Bobby is all-in for his titans and believes they have what it takes to beat any great chef, even if that great chef is one of his best friends." |
posted 7/19/2023 |
|
|
Wednesday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yellowstone is set to make its broadcast debut as part of CBS' fall schedule, which now includes a slew of reality series as well as a number of Paramount+ series such as SEAL Team and the original UK incarnation of Ghosts. The launch of Taylor Sheridan's Kevin Costner-fronted drama, which is coming to an end with its fifth season, as revealed by Deadline, on Paramount Network, is the headline of CBS' reworked schedule, which has been impacted by both the writers strike and, now, actors strike. TV's top-rated drama will launch on Sundays starting with Season 1, taking the place of The Equalizer at 9 p.m. The schedule, which includes 185 hours of original programming, also will feature the return of SEAL Team. The David Boreanaz-fronted military drama, which is produced by CBS Studios, originated on CBS and ran four seasons on the broadcast network before moving to Paramount+ for its fifth season. The series has now run for six seasons and was renewed for a seventh. It will air on Thursday nights at 10 p.m., a slot that was intended to be for new series Elsbeth, a spinoff of The Good Wife/The Good Fight. Paramount+ docuseries FBI True, which comes from FBI co-creator Craig Turk, also will air on the network, alongside repeats of FBI. One other unnamed Paramount+ original also will air on the network on Mondays at 10 p.m. That's a slot originally intended for NCIS: Hawai'i, so don't be surprised to see Evil, which also originated on CBS, there. It's not the first time that CBS has aired streaming originals on linear. During Covid, the network aired Star Trek: Discovery, from then-named CBS All Access. Elsewhere, the network is also getting more Ghosts, this time of the British persuasion. The BBC series, which the CBS version is based on, will air between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Thursdays after a repeat of the U.S. version. The BBC series, which streams on Warner Bros. Discovery's Max, has run for four seasons and stars Charlotte Ritchie and Kiell Smith-Bynoe as two people who lives in a house plagued by ghosts played by Lolly Adefope, Matthew Baynton, Simon Farnaby, Martha Howe-Douglas, Jim Howick, Laurence Rickard, Ben Willbond and Katy Wix. There also will be a slew of reality series airing during the fall. Alongside 90-minute versions of Survivor and The Amazing Race, which were unveiled as part of its original fall schedule in May, there will be Lotería Loca and Raid the Cage, both of which were revealed by Deadline, as well as a series based on Josh Duhamel's Buddy Games. Lotería Loca will air at 8 p.m. on Mondays, where The Neigborhood and Bob Hearts Abishola would have aired; Raid the Cage takes 9 p.m. on Fridays, where Fire Country would have run; and Buddy Games is at 9 p.m. on Thursdays, in place of So Help Me Todd. There's plenty of Big Brother on the schedule, airing Tuesdays and Thursdays, as well as The Price Is Right at Night, Let's Make a Deal Primetime and The Challenge: USA. 60 Minutes will be supersized with 90-minute episodes on certain Sundays when NFL on CBS broadcasts doubleheader games and there will be more primetime college football games from the Big Ten, SEC and Mountain West conferences as well as the NWSL Championship Game. The schedule... |
posted 7/18/2023 |
|
|
"A New Era" Begins on "University Challenge" |
|
Critics have welcomed Amol Rajan as he presented his first episode of BBC Two quiz show University Challenge. Appearing on The One Show ahead of his first episode on Monday night, Rajan, 40, discussed his experience of taking the Univerity Challenge baton from Paxman. Describing the former Newsnight presenter as a "giant of broadcasting", British-Indian journalist Rajan said: "Talk about big shoes to fill… Such an enormous, heroic figure in our culture. "Very sadly, he has Parkinson's, people will know he has been dealing with that illness. I know people who have Parkinson's and it has affected my family." Rajan continued: "I wanted to give him a call. Did it in the morning and I had two messages. I said, 'Jeremy, I'm going to say two things. One is, thank you for passing the show on in such great condition. The ratings are great, the format's as solid as ever. The other thing is I'll try not to screw it up.' "We had the sweetest conversation. What he said to me is, 'Thank you for calling, I appreciate you calling, it's the right thing to do.'" |
posted 7/18/2023 |
|
|
MONDAY: Hot Town... |
|
In the latest TV show ratings, ABC's soon-to-swap Claim to Fame and The Bachelorette led Monday in the demo, while NBC's Ninja Warrior claimed the night's largest audience. American Ninja Warrior (3 mil/0.3) added a few eyeballs, but WWEakest Link (2.3 mil/0.2) dropped some (leading out of a Wall rerun). Fox's Stars on Mars (960K/0.2) grew viewership for a second straight week, while Crime Scene Kitchen (1.1 mil/0.2) matched its best audience of the season. The Rising (330K/0.0) was steady for the CW. |
posted 7/18/2023 |
|
|
Laura Florence Goes FAST for Fremantle |
|
Fremantle has appointed Laura Florence to the role of SVP Global FAST Channels. Reporting to Jens Richter, CEO of Commercial and International, Laura will lead on Fremantle's global FAST strategy and will be based in LA. Previously SVP General Manager at Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, she oversaw Redbox and Crackle+ digital platforms including TVOD, AVOD, FAST products and FAST distribution for the app and channel portfolio to over 120 endpoints across 15 platforms. Her responsibilities also encompassed content platform strategy and operations for the company's Distribution & Production groups. Jens Richter, CEO Commercial and International, Fremantle said: "This is an integral role as we build out our global FAST strategy and I am thrilled to welcome Laura to the team to join us and lead our ambitious plans." Laura Florence, SVP Global FAST Channels, Fremantle said: "I am delighted to be joining Fremantle, a renowned company with an impressive portfolio of beloved shows. I look forward to leveraging the extensive catalogue of fan favorites and expanding their global channel distribution footprint. It's an exciting opportunity to contribute to Fremantle's growth and success." Fremantle runs 33 FAST channels across all major platforms around the world. Fremantle's first FAST channel Buzzr launched in 2015, showcasing iconic gameshow brands including Press Your Luck, Family Feud and Password. Since then, Fremantle has launched a number of single IP channels including Baywatch, America's Got Talent, Jamie Oliver and The Price is Right; as well as genre channels including Places and Spaces, Cook Chop Chat, Sleuth and Quip. Fremantle's FAST team currently operates out of LA and London. |
posted 7/18/2023 |
|
|
SUNDAY: ABC Shuffles Summer |
|
Some minor changes ahead for ABC's summer primetime unscripted schedule. The Bachelorette, starring Charity Lawson, which currently airs Mondays at 9 pm, will move to 8 pm beginning Monday, July 24. It will be followed at 10:01 pm by Claim to Fame, from Love Is Blind and Married At First Sight producer Kinetic Content and hosted by Kevin and Frankie Jonas, which currently airs in the 8 pm slot. The Bachelorette will air its three-hour finale on Monday, August 28 from 8-11 pm. Beginning Thursday, July 27, The Prank Panel, which airs Sundays at 8 pm, will move to Thursdays at 9 pm, following Kelly Ripa-hosted Generation Gap in its regular timeslot at 8 pm. It will be an earlier night for both Celebrity Family Feud, hosted by Steve Harvey, and Michael Strahan-hosted $100,000 Pyramid, which air on Sundays. Beginning Sunday, July 30, Celebrity Family Feud is moving up an hour to 8 pm, followed by $100,000 Pyramid at 9 pm. Additionally, quiz show The Chase will air its season finale Thursday, July 20 at 9/8c. In the latest TV show ratings, ABC's Celebrity Family Feud led Sunday in the demo, while CBS' 60 Minutes rerun clocked in with the night's biggest audience. The Prank Panel (with 2.1 million total viewers and a 0.3 demo rating), Celebrity Family Feud (2.7 mil/0.4) and $100,000 Pyramid (2.7 mil/0.3) all dropped some eyeballs while holding steady in the demo. Leading out of a 60 Minutes rerun that dominated Sunday in total viewers (with 4.7 mil), Tough as Nails (2 mil/0.1) dipped to its second-smallest audience of the season and a series low in the demo. Fox's coverage of the CONCACAF Gold Cup Final averaged 510K and a 0.2. The CW's 90-minute broadcast-TV premiere of religious drama The Chosen averaged 520,000 viewers — a far mightier audience than, say, Riverdale, Nancy Drew and The Rising have been averaging this summer — and a 0.1 rating.. |
posted 7/18/2023 |
|
|
Tuesday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
Monday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
"Nailed It!" Goes Big |
|
Watch out, fans of Nailed It!, a bigger and more intense baking show is coming to Netflix in the form of The Big Nailed It Baking Challenge. Similar to its predecessor, the offshoot will feature 10 amateur chefs attempting to bake a variety of confections from plain vanilla to cake in the shape of pizza. However, the grand prize is a whopping $100,000 to the last wannabe chef standing instead of Nailed It!'s $10,000 per episode. In addition, two professional pastry chefs will guide the contestants through all of the slip-ups and disasters as seen in the trailer below. Comedian Nicole Byer and pastry chef Jacques Torres also will reprise their roles as co-hosts and judges. Though these contestants aren't "Michelin chefs," as one of the contestants says in the video, "When you make something from the heart, you feel the love from it," and we are sure this show will be filled with heartfelt moments. The Big Nailed It Baking Challenge is set for release on Friday, August 4, and will consist of 10 45-minute episodes, all of which will drop that day. |
posted 7/17/2023 |
|
|
Bingo Blitz Heads to Mexican TV |
|
Playtika's Bingo Blitz, the #1 free-to-play bingo game*, is coming to an even bigger screen with the July 15 debut of the official Bingo Blitz-themed television game show in Mexico. Now, fans of the mobile gaming app can tune in to cheer on the show's competitors in their quest for bingo. The premiere of the Bingo Blitz-themed television game show marks an exciting milestone for the mobile game with a global online community of over 1 million daily active players–going beyond the world of mobile gaming into television entertainment to bring its worldwide audience to new heights. Hosted by Yordi Rosado, the game will air weekly on Saturdays at 8:00pm CST. The show will see two contestants compete in seven rounds of trivia questions. The contestants will be asked 10 general knowledge questions with three fixed possible answers. For every correct answer, a ball is drawn from the iconic Bingo Blitz-themed machine (the biggest bingo machine in the world!) and brings them one step closer to scoring a bingo. However, this television game show is not only about what the contestants know, it's about what they think they know. Before the game show contestants can take home the cash they must first guess how many questions they will get right. If their guess is incorrect, then their path to scoring a bingo is blocked. The format has been developed by GameChanger Studio and will be produced by the Imagen Network. Production on the 50-episode first season will begin this month and is expected to air later this summer. Laura Keren, Playtika's Vice President of Global Marketing, said: "With Bingo Blitz, we are always looking to find new and innovative ways to reinvent and redefine bingo, ensuring the game is everywhere and accessible. We will further the launch of the Bingo Blitz-themed show, as we bring the fun of our online game to television. We are delighted that both contestants and viewers will be able to experience the joy of bingo in a brand new way." |
posted 7/14/2023 |
|
|
ITV Passes on All3Media |
|
It doesn't look like ITV will be buying The Traitors producer All3Media. In a statement issued to the stock market this morning, the UK commercial network said it "continues to monitor but is no longer actively exploring the possible acquisition" of the indie production giant, which is owned by Warner Bros Discovery and Liberty Global. It didn't give a specific reason for the change of heart, but added: "ITV plc assesses all potential value-creating M&A opportunities against its strict financial criteria and disciplined capital allocation framework." |
posted 7/14/2023 |
|
|
Happy Friday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The 75th annual Primetime Emmy Awards nominations were revealed Wednesday morning, with HBO dominating the list with the most overall selections fueled by its powerhouse series Succession, House of the Dragon, The Last of Us and The White Lotus. Succession, the HBO drama headlined by Brian Cox, earned a leading 27 nominations overall including an expected Best Drama nomination, plus multiple nods in the actor/actress categories. In the actor categories, perhaps the question should be who didn't get a nomination from the show: all the male faves got some Emmy love including Cox, Jeremy Strong and Kieran Culkin as well as Matthew Macfadyen, Alexander Skarsgård, Alan Ruck and the beloved Cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun). For the women, Sarah Snook got a nomination as did J. Smith-Cameron. This year's Emmy Awards ceremony is scheduled to be held September 18 live on Fox, but a writers strike and a potential SAG-AFTRA strike could change that if no talent is available for the primetime showcase celebrating the best of TV over the past year. Nominations for the big four awards of importance are... |
posted 7/13/2023 |
|
|
The CW Fights to Survive with... "Fight to Survive" |
|
The CW and the Roku Channel have teamed up to announce their collaboration on "Fight to Survive," an eight-episode survivalist competition. Hosted by "American Ninja Warrior" alum Akbar Gbajabiamila, the social experiment pits 17 competitors— including former "Survivor," "Alone," "Naked and Afraid" and "American Ninja Warrior" contestants —against each other in an attempt to survive 25 days on a remote tropical island while facing brutal conditions to win $250,000. In one of the most intense survival of the fittest competitions ever televised, the competitors battle one another for essential tools and resources in the fight to survive. The first season cast includes Yuda Abitbol, Nathaniel Allenby, Amal Alyassiri,("Naked and Afraid" Season 9), Dani Beau ("Naked and Afraid" Seasons 4 and 14, "Naked and Afraid XL" Season 1), Missy Byrd ("Survivor" Season 39), Robby Canton, Matthew Clarke, Sarah Danser ("Naked and Afraid" Season 8, "Naked and Afraid: Lost at Sea," "Naked and Afraid XL" Season 4, "Naked and Ghosted" Season 11), Afften DeShazer ("Naked and Afraid" Season 4), Stephanie Gonzalez ("Survivor" Season 36), Keali'i "K" Ka'apana ("Called to the Wild"), Zane Kraetsch ("Alone: The Beast"), Christina McQueen, ("Naked and Afraid" Season 4, "Naked and Afraid XL" Season 5), Jonathan Monroe ("Naked and Afraid" Season 7), Makani Nalu ("Stranded With a Million Dollars," "Naked and Afraid" Season 10, "Naked and Afraid XL" Season 6), J Ruiz("American Ninja Warrior" Seasons 6, 7 and 8; "Steve Austin's Broken Skull Challenge"), and Libby Vincek ("Survivor" Season 36). "By bringing together the best of The CW and the best of The Roku Channel, 'Fight to Survive' will be able to reach the largest audience possible across both broadcast and streaming," commented Brad Schwartz, The CW's President of Entertainment, and Brian Tannenbaum, Roku's Head of Originals. "By working together in all aspects of distribution, marketing, press and advertising, we will expose this edge-of-your-seat series to millions of fans in brand new ways." "With its dynamic cast of reality personalities and an original unscripted format that ratchets up the intensity of the traditional competition series, 'Fight to Survive' is an addicting summer series that we are thrilled to bring to The CW," said Heather Olander, Head of Unscripted Content, The CW Network, and Sean Boyle, Head of Adventure and Exploration Programming, Roku. "We cannot wait for viewers to join the fight!" The unscripted series will premiere Thursday, August 10 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The CW with all episodes scheduled to be available for streaming on The Roku Channel and The CW App on September 29, the day after the broadcast finale. The series is executive produced and created by Kevin Lee for Tollbooth Television. |
posted 7/13/2023 |
|
|
Mike Darnell Departs Warners |
|
The dark prince of the unscripted world is plotting his next chapter: Mike Darnell is exiting Warner Bros. Television Group after a decade with the studio, a move he decided to make after a restructuring would have altered his role at the company. Darnell, who had served as president of unscripted television for Warner Bros., and Warner Bros. Television Group chairman/CEO Channing Dungey were set to announce the change on Thursday. As part of the new structure, Darnell won't be replaced; instead, the alternative and unscripted divisions that reported to Darnell will now report directly to Dungey. Darnell had a year left in his current contract with the studio. "Letting yourself go is always difficult…I took a deep breath, called myself on Zoom and told myself it was time to leave," Darnell said in a statement, in his usual unique style. "I took it surprisingly well," he quipped. "Actually, Channing approached me a couple of months ago, and although I was given the opportunity to stay… it would have meant more changes for both my personal deal and to the general structure of the division," Darnell added in his ellipses-filled statement. "Call it fate, or just good timing, during my discussions with Channing, a couple of new ventures have come my way… Even so, deciding to leave was difficult. (Those who know me know I am not a fan of change.) I want to thank my amazing studio team. I am, of course, going to miss everybody…not the least of which is Channing… I couldn't ask for a more supportive boss, first class all the way." Darnell joined Warner Bros. in 2013 after a legendary 18-year run at Fox, where his reputation was cemented as the reality kingpin behind TV phenomenon "American Idol," as well as juicy TV favorites like "Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire" and "Temptation Island," as well as in-your-face fare including "Joe Millionaire," "Alien Autopsy: Fact or Fiction," "The Swan," "When Animals Attack" and "Man vs. Beast." (At Fox he also helped shepherd animated hits "Family Guy" and "Futurama," the latter of which has just been revived at Hulu.) |
posted 7/13/2023 |
|
|
Battle of the Decades Comes to Food Network |
|
Food Network brings together skilled chefs to face off in a culinary competition that puts their perspectives on food and pop culture to the test in Battle of the Decades premiering on Wednesday, August 16th at 10pm ET/PT. Teams comprised of two chefs from different generations tackle challenges in which they must use popular ingredients and gadgets from the past as well as take on viral food trends and classic dishes, all while bridging the generational gap with their approach and techniques. From Snoopy Sno-Cone machines to Easy Bake Ovens, it is no easy feat for the competitors as they navigate challenges based on trends such as 1950s gelatin molds and savory jello salads to modern day dishes like accordion potatoes and fluffy Japanese Soufflé pancakes. The members of the last team standing then go head-to-head against each other in an old school vs. new school match up to see which chef walks away with $10,000. Over the course of the season, host Jonathan Bennett is joined by a rotating panel of judges including Eddie Jackson and his father Eddie Jackson Sr., Antonia Lofaso and her daughter Xea Myers, Peter Fang and his daughter Kathy Fang, Julian Rodarte and his father Beto Rodarte, along with special celebrity guest judges including singer Taylor Dayne, actress Jennie Garth (90210), actor Wayne Knight (Seinfeld), Olympic gold medalist Greg Louganis and actress Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding). "Battle of the Decades is a unique culinary competition that is more than a walk down memory lane looking at nostalgic ingredients and culinary trends," said Betsy Ayala, Head of Content, Food, Warner Bros. Discovery. "The dichotomy of the generational teams and judges ups the ante of the cook offs and adds to the suspense to find out which team and generation will reign supreme." In each of the eight hour-long episodes, three teams take on a series of challenges for the chance to make it to the final round. In round one it is all about nostalgia as host Jonathan Bennett reveals the contents of a time capsule which includes mandatory ingredients and a cooking gadget from a particular year that must be used in the first dish. The chefs will have to employ everything from an electric grill to a fondue pot to accomplish their missions. In round two, the remaining teams have to put their own spin on viral food trends like smiley fries and spicy vodka pasta. Then, in round three, the final team standing must face off against each other to create their version of a timeless dish like Chicken Kiev and Beef Wellington, for the ultimate test of the decades. In the end, only one chef will walk away with $10,000. |
posted 7/13/2023 |
|
|
"Last One Standing" Stands for More |
|
Ahead of its Season 1 finale, Discovery Channel has ordered a second season of its hit reality series Naked and Afraid: Last One Standing. The renewal comes amid strong ratings for the Naked and Afraid spinoff that pushes the limits of primitive survival, as contestants hunt for food, water, fire and shelter, all without clothes, to win a cash prize. Since its May 7 premiere, the series has reached 15.7 million total viewers and is averaging a 0.98 Live +3 rating among Adults 25-54. The ten-episode series is Discovery Channel's highest-rated series of 2023 to date and the #2 freshman cable series so far this year among Adults 25-54 and Men 25-54. The program also is on track to be the network's highest-rated freshman series in five years. |
posted 7/13/2023 |
|
|
|
|
The CW Network today announced premiere dates for its Fall 2023 primetime schedule. The CW's new fall season kicks off with the highly anticipated premiere of the Emmy(R) Award-winning weekly studio series INSIDE THE NFL on Tuesday, September 5 (8:00-9:00pm ET/PT) followed by the debut of the global hit event series THE SWARM (9:00-10:00pm ET/PT) from "Game of Thrones" executive producer Frank Doelger about an unknown enemy that lives deep below the sea. The new drama series SULLIVAN'S CROSSING starring Scott Patterson, Chad Michael Murray and Morgan Kohan begins on Wednesday, October 4 (8:00-9:00pm ET/PT) followed by the premiere of THE SPENCER SISTERS (9:00-10:00pm ET/PT) featuring Lea Thompson and Stacey Farber. A brand new season of the hit unscripted franchise FBOY ISLAND hosted by comedian Nikki Glaser makes its broadcast television debut on Thursday, October 12 (8:00-10:00pm ET/PT). Monday night comedies SON OF A CRITCH (8:00-8:30pm ET/PT), RUN THE BURBS (8:30-9:00pm ET/PT) and CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING (9:00-9:30pm ET/PT) continue through the fall and are joined by the coming-of-age family comedy EVERYONE ELSE BURNS premiering on Monday, October 16 (9:30-10:00pm ET/PT). Fridays stay magical when PENN & TELLER: FOOL US returns for a tenth season with new host Brooke Burke on Friday, October 20 (8:00-9:00pm ET/PT). Saturday nights are home to the long-running unscripted franchises MASTERS OF ILLUSION, returning Saturday, October 28 (8:00-8:30pm ET/PT), and WORLD'S FUNNIEST ANIMALS (9:00-9:30pm ET/PT). The laughs continue as hit improv series WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY? returns for Season 12 on Tuesday, November 14 (9:00-9:30pm ET/PT). The global phenomenon THE CHOSEN about the life of Jesus continues its run through the fall on Sundays (8:00-9:30pm ET/PT). Previously announced scripted dramas ALL AMERICAN, SUPERMAN & LOIS, and 61ST STREET along with the I AM documentary film franchise will now air during midseason, with exact premieres to be announced at a later date. The schedule, in full... |
posted 7/11/2023 |
|
|
|
|
There's a new ingredient in the mix on Top Chef. Season 10 winner Kristen Kish will take over hosting duties from Padma Lakshmi when the Bravo culinary competition returns for season 21. "Top Chef is where I started my journey — first as a competing chef, then a guest judge and now as host I have the honor of helping to continue to build this brand," Kish says in a statement released to EW. "I'm thrilled to sit alongside [returning judges and executive producers Gail Simmons and Tom Colicchio] as we get to know new incredible chefs and see what they cook up. It feels like coming home." "Kristen Kish represents everything that makes Top Chef incredibly special," adds Ryan Flynn, senior vice president of current production at NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. "She's an acclaimed chef, and her experience as a cheftestant, winner, and judge alongside her culinary curiosity makes Kristen the perfect host for the next chapter of Top Chef as we take on a new region of the country we haven't explored." That new region is Wisconsin, which will serve as the location of season 21. "With a backdrop of picturesque landscapes, acres of farmland, miles of shoreline and vibrant urban communities, the cheftestants will explore the fresh flavors and local bounty of this rising culinary destination," reads a release from Bravo detailing the show's impending exploration of Milwaukee and Madison. Kish will be the third Top Chef host, following season 1 host Katie Lee and Lakshmi, the latter serving as host for the past 19 seasons. Lakshmi feels the chef has lots to bring to the her new role. "I think she'll bring herself to the show, which is different. We've been on TV for a long time, and so it's like an old marriage. It's good for there to be a little bit something new and exciting," she said. "Kristen has what Tom [Colicchio] or Gail [Simmons] or I don't have: She has the benefit of actually being a contestant, and not only competing well, but winning. And I think that perspective will help her as a host and she'll grow into that role." |
posted 7/12/2023 |
|
|
Everybody Get Up |
|
Good news for fans of game shows! Pluto TV now has a 24/7 dedicated Hollywood Squares channel for fans of the show. This channel joins a ton of other game show channels, including the Family Feud Classic, Deal or No Deal, Buzzr, Are You Smarter Than a Fith Grader? Jeopardy! Hosted by Alex Trebek, Wheel of Fortune, and more. Pluto TV also recently re-added all eight seasons of the Andy Griffith Show. The show has been available as a live channel, but earlier this month, the on-demand version was removed. Now Pluto TV has brought back all eight seasons of the Andy Griffith Show available on-demand. This comes as Pluto TV is adding a ton of new movies and television shows to Pluto TV. Hollywood Squares, like PlutoTV, is a property of Paramount Global. |
posted 7/12/2023 |
|
|
Grag Queen to Host "Drag Race Brazil" |
|
Grag Queen — the drag vocalist of Brazil — is making her voice heard once again as the Drag Race Brazil host. The Queen of the Universe singing competition winner will preside over the Drag Race Brazil season 1 panel, production company World of Wonder and Paramount+ announced Wednesday. Born in Canela, a city in the Serra Gaúcha mountains, Grag Queen rose to international prominence as the winner of Queen of the Universe's inaugural season, thanks to her stunning vocal prowess and jaw-dropping looks on the stage. In addition to her work as a drag entertainer, Grag Queen has released a string of singles, including "Party Everyday," "Milkshake," and "Que Passa." |
posted 7/12/2023 |
|
|
We'll Take Shouting at the Screen for $1000... |
|
Volley, the leading creator of voice AI games, announced today the launch of the Volley app on Roku. Volley's first game in its Roku app is the beloved game show Jeopardy! from Sony Pictures Television. Jeopardy! is the first ever voice-enabled game on the Roku platform. Budding Jeopardy! contestants simply need to search for "Volley" to get a round started, and then respond to clues with their voice - just like actual game show contestants. The Jeopardy! game on Roku will be the most immersive version of the game Volley has developed yet. "Over 20 million people have played Volley games on smart devices like Amazon Alexa and Google Home. Expanding to the Roku platform presents a massive opportunity to introduce more consumers to voice-enabled games that can be played alone or with family and friends," said Max Child, co-founder and CEO of Volley. "The launch of our Jeopardy! game on Roku is the first of many games we plan to release on this platform in the near future." "Jeopardy! has been an iconic quiz show for nearly six decades," said Suzanne Prete, EVP, Game Shows for Sony Pictures Television. "Everyone already knows how to shout their responses at their TV screens. Volley's voice AI technology enhances the gaming experience for fans of this beloved franchise, enabling them to engage in new, exciting ways." |
posted 7/12/2023 |
|
|
Wednesday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aside from its regular "Fox Animation Domination" block on Sunday nights, Fox's fall schedule is taking a more alternative approach this year as the WGA strike continues to remain an issue for Hollywood . In similar fashion to other broadcast networks, Fox's fall schedule was notably missing mention of its scripted series premiere dates. Those programming blocks have instead been filled with unscripted shows like "Celebrity Name that Tune" and "Kitchen Nightmares" and animated series like newcomer"Krapopolis" (which recently got a long overdue premiere date) and mainstays like "The Simpsons," "Bob's Burgers" and "Family Guy." Hosted by Jane Krakowski and band leader Randy Jackson, "Celebrity Name That Tune" is an all-celebrity edition with games that will test the musical knowledge of athletes, musicians, actors, TV personalities, comedians and Olympians as they play for their favorite charities with a chance to win over $150,000. The show is produced by Fox Alternative Entertainment, Prestige Entertainment and BiggerStage. On behalf of BiggerStage, Sean O'Riordan serves as executive producer and Shane Byrne serves as the series' showrunner. Ralph Rubenstein and Noah Rubenstein also are executive producers. "Name That Tune" will kick off the schedule and is followed by "I Can See Your Voice," which returns for Season 3. Hosted and executive produced by Ken Jeong, Cheryl Hines and Adrienne Bailon-Houghton also return with a rotating panel of celebrity detectives to help one contestant tell the difference between good and bad singer without ever hearing them sing a note. New game show, "Snake Oil" will also make its series debut on Wednesday, September 27. The show is hosted and produced by comedian David Spade and executive-produced by Will Arnett, through his Electric Avenue Productions. "Snake Oil" follows contestants as they are pitched unique products by convincing entrepreneurs – some of whom are showcasing real business ventures, while the others are "Snake Oil Salesmen," whose products are fake. With the help of guest celebrity advisors, contestants must determine which products are real and which are a sham, for a chance to win life-changing money. The schedule, in full... Additional premieres scheduled to arrive at a later date during the 2023-24 season include dramas "9-1-1: Lone Star," "Accused," "Alert: Missing Persons Unit," "The Cleaning Lady," "Doc and Rescue: HI-Surf;" and comedies "Animal Control" and "Grimsburg." In Unscripted, "Farmer Wants a Wife," "LEGO Masters: Celebrity Holiday Bricktacular," "The Masked Singer," "Next Level Chef" and "We Are Family" will also air during the 2023-24 season. Season renewals for each show were announced earlier this year. |
posted 7/11/2023 |
|
|
|
|
The Challenge: USA is coming back for a second season on CBS, and this time MTV Challenge vets are joining the party. CBS revealed the cast list for The Challenge: USA season 2 on Tuesday, featuring six fan-favorite and/or infamous contestants originally from MTV's long-running franchise: champions Johnny "Bananas" Devenanzio, Wes Bergmann, Jonna Stephens (formerly Mannion), and Tori Deal, as well as title-less veterans Amanda Garcia and Cory Wharton. They'll be going up against 18 CBS reality stars originally from Survivor, Big Brother, and The Amazing Race — although quite a few of them have also competed on The Challenge as well, including Paulie Calafiore, Josh Martinez, Michele Fitzgerald, Faysal Shafaat, Alyssa Lopez, Tiffany Mitchell, Michaela Bradshaw, and Desi Williams. Season 2 takes place in Croatia, with TJ Lavin returning as host, as the 24 contestants battle it out in physical and mental challenges. In the end, only one man and one woman will walk away with the title of Challenge champions and split the grand prize of $500,000. This is the first time MTV Challenge vets have crossed over to CBS, as the first season of USA only featured alums from Survivor, Big Brother, The Amazing Race, and Love Island. Check out the full season 2 cast list: The Challenge: USA season 2 will kick off with a two-part premiere, beginning Thursday, Aug. 10, at 10 p.m. ET/PT and continuing Sunday, Aug. 13, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. New episodes will air twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays, for the first three weeks, before moving to just Thursdays on Aug. 31. |
posted 7/11/2023 |
|
|
|
|
Jimmy Weldon, the cheery ventriloquist, kids TV host and actor who provided the voice for the endangered duck Yakky Doodle on Hanna-Barbera cartoons starting in the early 1960s, has died. He was 99. Weldon's death on Thursday in Paso Robles, California, was reported by American Legion Post 43 in Hollywood, where he was chaplain emeritus. With the puppet Webster Webfoot, a duck he created in the 1940s, Weldon hosted TV shows for youngsters in New York, Los Angeles and cities in the San Joaquin Valley. The Texan also appeared on episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Dragnet, The Waltons, S.W.A.T., B.J. and the Bear, Dallas, The Rockford Files, Diff'rent Strokes and It's a Living. Weldon voiced Yakky Doodle, a yellow duckling with green wings who is constantly being bailed out of trouble by his best friend, a protective bulldog named Chopper, on recurring segments of The Yogi Bear Show in 1961-62. The youngest of three boys, Ivy Laverne Shinn was born on Sept. 23, 1923, in Dale, Texas. His father owned a Texaco service station. When he was working as a paperboy, he met a man who did a great Donald Duck impression; after lots of practice, he won a radio contest singing as the Disney character. During World War II, Weldon served under Gen. George Patton and helped liberate the Buchenwald concentration camp. After the service, he attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. In 1946, Weldon was hired as an announcer and disc jockey on the radio station KWCO in Chickasha, Oklahoma, where he would chat with the Donald Duck soundalike Webster in between spinning records. Listeners would often call in, asking to speak not to him but to his sidekick. At WFAA-TV in Dallas, he needed a puppet to go with the duck voice when he was offered what would become The Webster Webfoot Show, and that's when he became a ventriloquist, eventually a very good one. He and Webster then appeared on singer Kate Smith's show at NBC. With the help of singing cowboy Jimmy Wakely, Weldon came to Los Angeles and was signed by MCA. He hosted a program for boys and girls on KLAC-TV (now KCOP), and that led to Ralph Edwards hiring him to preside over the Saturday morning NBC game show Funny Boners, a kids version of Edwards' Truth or Consequences. He returned to Hanna-Barbera to voice many other characters for the company into the 1980s. More recently, the patriotic Weldon spoke to schools and organizations with the mission statement "to instill in American youth a sense of civic, nonpartisan pride and a better understanding of our common heritage." He regularly performed a tribute to Old Glory, I Am the Flag, and in 2019 published his memoir, Go Get 'Em Tiger: Becoming the Person You Want to Be. Weldon was married to Englishwoman Muriel Jones from 1947 until her death in 1988. |
posted 7/11/2023 |
|
|
MONDAY: Back to Business |
|
In the latest TV show ratings, there was a three-way tie for the Monday demo win, while CBS' The Price Is Right at Night rerun easily drew the night's biggest audience. Fox's Stars on Mars dipped to a new audience low (830,000 total viewers) while steady in the demo (with a 0.2). An increasingly fiendish Crime Scene Kitchen (1 mil/0.2) was steady in both measures. NBC's American Ninja Warrior (2.8 mil/0.3) and The Wall (2.4 mil/0.2) both dipped in the demo. Weakest Link (2.4 mil/0.2) returned to its second-best audience of the season. ABC's Claim to Fame (2.2 mil/0.3) and The Bachelorette (1.8 mil/0.3) matched their season openers. The CW's The Rising (360K/0.0) rose 29% in audience. CBS's "The Price Is Right at Night" encore attracted a total of 3.66 million to win the night. |
posted 7/11/2023 |
|
|
Limitless Win Moves the Goalposts a Little More |
|
Ant & Dec's Limitless Win has been renewed for two more series on ITV. The game show, the only of its kind to offer a limitless cash jackpot, will return to ITV1 and ITVX in 2024, hosted by much-loved duo Ant & Dec. Limitless Win sees the world's first never-ending money ladder – with no upper limit to the potential top prize, for the contestants the stakes have never been higher. The third & fourth seasons will once again see contestants from across Britain given the chance to win big. The answer to every question is a number and if answered correctly, they can bank the cash, but if they're not careful they risk crashing out of the game and leaving empty handed. Ant McPartlin said: "We're so happy that Limitless Win has been such a hit with the viewers, we love making it. It's such a thrilling and emotional roller coaster of a show we can't wait to make more." Declan Donnelly added: "We're bracing ourselves for another two series of high tension and nail-biting drama as more contestants take on the Limitless ladder. We're excited to see how high they can climb now they're so much more familiar with the show. Bring it on!" |
posted 7/11/2023 |
|
|
Tuesday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
SUNDAY: Kicking Off the Feud with "Yellowjackets" |
|
The teen and adult casts of the Showtime thriller, Yellowjackets, are set to compete on Sunday's season premiere of Celebrity Family Feud. Christina Ricci, Melanie Lynskey, Warren Kole, Tawney Cypress and Lauren Ambrose will match wits with Samantha Hanratty, Sophie Nelisse, Courtney Eaton, Jasmin Savoy Brown and Kevin Alves. Both teams of stars are competing on the ABC game show to raise money for GLAAD. The episode will be available for streaming on Monday. CBS came in silver with 5.25 million eyes for a 60 Minutes rerun, followed by a new Tough as Nails (2.10 million/0.2). NBC was in third with its coverage of the US Women's Open (1.44 million/0.2). |
posted 7/10/2023 |
|
|
|
|
Season 5 of MASTER MINDS will premiere on Monday, August 7 at 6 p.m. ET/PT on Game Show Network and air weekdays. This season welcomes new Master Mind Monica Thieu (Jeopardy! College Championship), as well as guest appearances by returning Master Minds Champions Kelly Gerhold and Clifford "Cliff" Galiher. In MASTER MINDS, three contestants square off against three trivia Master Minds in multiple rounds of intense trivia competition. The lowest scoring player on each side is eliminated until the top competitor and top Master Mind are left standing and now must face off, head-to-head, in the Ultimate Trivia Challenge. If the contestant can get more questions correct than the Master Mind, they will win $10,000 and come back to challenge the Masters again. If they win two games in a row, they join the ranks of the Master Minds and will appear in future episodes. |
posted 7/10/2023 |
|
|
Katie Thurston Goes from Bachelor Nation to "FBoy Island" |
|
Katie Thurston is venturing outside of Bachelor Nation to find her next love interest. The former Bachelorette, who led Season 17 of the long-running ABC dating series, is joining the cast of The CW's FBoy Island Season 3. A short teaser released on Monday shows a glimpse at Thurston preparing for a confessional, only to (jokingly) act shocked when she finds out what she's agreed to be a part of. On FBoy Island, Thurston will be one of three women who are joined by 24 men – 12 self-proclaimed "Nice Guys" looking for love and 12 self-proclaimed "FBoys," there to compete for cold, hard cash. The women navigate the dating pool together with the hope of finding a lasting love connection. By the finale, all is revealed – who is a Nice Guy, who is an FBoy and who the women ultimately choose. Fboy Island is a social experiment that asks the age-old question: Can FBoys truly reform, or do Nice Guys always finish last? It's fairly uncommon for Bachelor and Bachelorette alums to venture outside of the ABC franchise for a different reality dating series. Thurston also previously appeared on Season 25 of The Bachelor. She never opted to join Bachelor in Paradise, though several of her contestants did.. |
posted 7/10/2023 |
|
|
|
|
Andrea Evans, the two-time Daytime Emmy nominated actor who rose to fame in the 1970s and '80s as the troublemaking teen Tina Lord on the ABC soap One Life To Live, died Sunday of cancer. She was 66. Her death was announced by casting director Don Carroll. Following her signature role on One Life To Live, Evans went on to play Patty Williams on CBS' The Young and the Restless, Tawny Moore on CBS' The Bold and the Beautiful, Rebecca Hotchkiss on NBC's Passions and Patty Walker on Amazon Prime's The Bay. Born in Aurora, Illinois, Evans had appeared in beauty pageants and regional theater when she appeared as an extra in Brian De Palma's 1978 horror classic The Fury. That year she also appeared in miniseries The Awakening Land, and soon drew the attention of legendary soap casting director Mary Jo Slater, who tapped her for the coveted role of Tina Lord, One Life To Live's answer to All My Children's Erica Kane. Evans' bad-girl portrayal was a quick success with viewers, and she remained in the role until 1981, when she left to portray Patty Williams on The Young and the Restless from 1983 to 1984. She returned to One Life in 1985, and was nominated for a Daytime Emmy in 1988. She later appeared in such features as A Low Down Dirty Shame (1994), Ice Cream Man (1995) and Hit List (2012) and on game shows including The $10,000 Pyramid and Hollywood Squares. In addition to her professional ventures, Evans devoted considerable time to various animal rescue organizations and for City of Hope. She is survived by husband Steve Rodriguez and daughter Kylie. |
posted 7/6/2023 |
|
|
More "Floor" |
|
Italian public broadcaster Rai has commissioned a local version of Dutch quizshow format The Floor following a deal with Holland's Talpa Distribution. The show will air on Rai 2 and will be produced in Turin by Blu Yazmine, the indie founded by Ilaria Dallatana, Francesca Canetta and Carlo Bergamo in 2020. The Floor sees 100 contestants face off in quiz duels on a giant LED floor divided into 100 squares, each representing its own field of knowledge. The goal is to conquer the floor and take home a cash prize. The format has previously been picked up by Fox in the US, where Eureka Productions will produce the show; Dogan Media-owned Romanian network Kanal D; France Télévisions, with Satisfaction Group producing; Sat.1 in Germany, where it will be made by Seven.One Entertainment Group; and Spain's Atresmedia, with Mediacrest producing. RTL4 in the Netherlands commissioned the original and recently renewed the Dutch version. |
posted 7/10/2023 |
|
|
There's An App for "Catchphrase" |
|
All3Media International has announced the launch of a new app for the game show "Catchphrase," as it continues to build on the off-screen activation of its entertainment brands. A hit prime-time game show format created by Pasetta Productions and Steven Radosh, "Catchphrase" continues to prove its evergreen credentials with this mobile game, in addition to the recent launch of a board game and card game based on the show. The app allows players to test their skills and identify familiar catchphrases straight from the ITV/STV show. Featuring the show's mascot Mr Chips, players are presented with challenges to complete, targets to aim for, and more rewards and prizes. "'Catchphrase' is one of the most iconic and recognizable brands in All3Media International's catalog and has proved itself a beloved viewer favorite time and time again on screen," says Jane Sharp, vice president, licensing, All3Media International. "I'm thrilled to continue to find fresh ways to reach long-time fans and new players with this brand-new app, as well as the 'Catchphrase' board game and card game." "Our contestants always have so much fun playing 'Catchphrase' in the studio, so we're delighted that fans of the show can now also play the game at home or on the move with this fantastic app," says Gary Chippington, creative director, entertainment, STV Studios. "All3Media International and Two Way Media have really managed to capture the magic that makes Catchphrase one of the most popular and enduring shows on British TV." Created in partnership with Two Way Media, the game developer behind the "Lingo" app, the "Catchphrase" app is now available in the U.K. on iOS and Android. |
posted 7/10/2023 |
|
|
Monday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
EMMYS: And the Nominations Are... |
|
Emmy-nominated actress Yvette Nicole Brown is set to join TV Academy chair Frank Scherma to announce the 2023 Emmy nominations on Wednesday. This year's Emmy nominees will be revealed in a live virtual ceremony set for 8:30 a.m. PT/11:30 a.m. ET, which will stream live on the Emmys website and the TV Academy's YouTube channel. Brown was nominated for an Emmy for her work on The Black Lady Sketch Show. Her other credits include Community, Central Park, Elena of Avalor, Disenchanted, DC League of Super Pets and Lady and the Tramp. |
posted 7/7/2023 |
|
|
Ariana Madix Leads Off "Dancing" Season |
|
The success-is-the-best-revenge tour continues for Ariana Madix: She's going to compete on Dancing with the Stars now. The Vanderpump Rules star will don the sequins and Danskins this fall when the show returns to ABC for its 32nd season. News of her casting was announced this morning on Good Morning America. The rest of the competitors will be revealed in the fall. Madix became a household name this year — at least for those who glue themselves to Bravo shows — when her Vanderpump Rules ex-boyfriend Tom Sandoval of nearly 10 years hooked up with her friend Raquel Leviss. Season 10 of Vanderpump Rules had just started airing at the start of the year when news of the "Scandoval" blew up on social media. |
posted 7/7/2023 |
|
|
WEDNESDAY: Midsummer Midweek |
|
In the latest TV ratings, CBS' The Price Is Right at Night easily led Wednesday both in total viewers (with 3.6 million) and in the demo (scoring a 0.4). Elsewhere…. The CW's Nancy Drew (400K/0.1) added a handful of eyeballs and ticked up in the demo. Riverdale (152K/0.1) slipped to an all-time audience low but did manage to rise above a zero in the demo. ABC's Judge Steve Harvey (2.8 mil/0.2) dipped, while The Wonder Years (1.9 mil/0.2) was steady. NBC's LA Fire & Rescue (2.4 mil/0.2) ticked down in Week 3. Leading out of the aforementioned TPIRAN and a Young Sheldon rerun, a corporate synergy-tastic Mission: Impossible "Behind the Scenes" special drew 1.5 mil and a 0.2. |
posted 7/6/2023 |
|
|
Greenbird to Fly with STV |
|
STV has confirmed the acquisition of Lego Masters firm Greenbird Media from Keshet International (KI), Deadline reports. The Scottish network's production arm, STV Studios, has paid an initial £21.4M ($27.2M) for the company, whose assets include majority stakes in Lego Masters maker Tuesday's Child Television and Crackit Productions. Israel's Keshet International was previously the majority owner, with a 60% stake. Having been acquired from BBC Studios (then BBC Worldwide) in 2018, Greenbird, which is run by Jamie Munro and Stuart Mullin, was placed on the block by Keshet last year, according to a report in TBI. Headquartered in Scotland, STV is a listed broadcasting and production company that turned over £138M last year. Its production arm, STV Studios, is making the likes of Apple TV+ drama Criminal Record and was behind Channel 4's Screw. MD David Mortimer recently told Broadcast he wants STV Studios to be the "biggest nations and regions indie." |
posted 7/6/2023 |
|
|
"Vietnam Idol" to Return |
|
After a seven-year hiatus, Fremantle, Cat Tien Sa Media Group and VTV3 have partnered to revive Vietnam's star-maker competition series "Vietnam Idol." This revival will have a focus on youth audiences and aspirants, as the show builds up its presence on all major social platforms and local university campuses for casting. Music industry judges include producer Huy Tuan, singer-songwriters Son Tung MTP and My Tam and director Nguyen Quang Dung, who have all previously served in the capacity in previous seasons. Duc Bao will host. The road to stardom on the show involves three months of competition – starting from the in-person open casting calls and a highlight music festival in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City – where 100 contenders will sing their way through the selection rounds for a shot at the theater rounds, live rounds and the finals gala. Haryaty Rahman, executive VP distribution Asia, international at Fremantle, said: "We are thrilled to partner with Cat Tien Sa and VTV3 to bring back the highly anticipated 'Vietnam Idol' for audiences in the region. 'Idols' is a renowned format in Vietnam and globally – after seven years off air, we are incredibly excited to see the new generation of stars that Vietnam Idol will soon uncover." Nguyen Quang Minh, CEO at Cat Tien Sa Media Group, added: "This year's revival of 'Vietnam Idol' just demonstrates the enduring recognition of the show as a platform for stars. We look forward to inviting budding idols from all regions, genres and walks of life to audition. We've even opened up the chance for Vietnamese talents living abroad to join 'Vietnam Idol' 2023 – and to discover the next great musical sensation." Licensed to Cat Tien Sa from Fremantle and airing on free-to-air channel VTV3, the latest season of "Vietnam Idol" will air from July 8. |
posted 7/6/2023 |
|
|
Food Network Renews "Summer Baking Championship" |
|
Food Network has renewed its latest "Baking Championship" spinoff, "Summer Baking Championship, for a second season. "Summer Baking Championship" features 10 talented bakers from around the country competing in unique summer-themed baking challenges featuring the flavors, ingredients and celebrations of the season for a chance to earn the title of Summer Baking Champion and win $25,000, per the cable channel's official description for the competition series. The show is hosted by Jesse Palmer, with Duff Goldman, Carla Hall and Damaris Phillips serving as judges. The eight-episode first season of "Summer Baking Championship" ran May 15-June 26. "Summer Baking Championship" averaged a 0.83 rating overall and a 1.20 rating among women over 18, according to Live + 3 Day Nielsen data, which is up 84% and 114%, respectively, from Food Network's year-to-date primetime average. The series currently boasts Food Network's best Season 1 ratings among women ages 25-54 since 2020 and among adults over 18 since 2019. To date, the episodes have reached nearly 12 million viewers across Food Network and streamers Max and Discovery+, per Warner Bros, Discovery. Production on Season 2 is scheduled to begin later this year. "Baking championships have long been a favorite of Food Network fans who enjoy the thrill of the competition with the exquisite and visually-stunning baked creations," said Betsy Ayala, head of food content at Warner Bros. Discovery. "Summer Baking Championship was the perfect addition to the lineup, and we can't wait to build on season one's success with a new field of bakers and challenges next year." "Summer Baking Championship" is produced by Triage Entertainment for Food Network. |
posted 765/2023 |
|
|
Thursday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
"Chopped" Goes Directional |
|
Talented chefs from the four regions of the United States- North, South, East and West- step into the Chopped kitchen to proudly represent their region for a chance to win $50,000 in the new five-part tournament Chopped: All- American Showdown premiering Tuesday, July 11th at 8pm on Food Network. Hosted by Ted Allen, each preliminary episode of the tournament features four chefs from one of the four regions of the country showcasing their culinary skills over three rounds- appetizer, entrée and dessert. The chefs are challenged to utilize the basket of mystery ingredients and create delicious dishes to impress a rotating panel of judges including- Eric Adjepong, Scott Conant, Cassidee Dabney, Amanda Freitag, Gregory Gourdet, Alex Guarnaschelli and Geoffrey Zakarian. United in their passion for food and their hunger for victory, the winners from each region return to the finale to fight ferociously for American pride, the tournament's coveted prize and the title of Chopped Grand Champion. |
posted 7/5/2023 |
|
|
"TEmptation Island" Heads to Latin America |
|
Temptation Island is heading to Latin America after Amazon ordered three versions of the reality dating show. The streamer will launch series in Mexico and Brazil as well as a version produced for Argentina and Chile. The series will run for 9 episodes. They will be produced by Banijay Mexico & U.S. Hispanic, Endemol Shine Brasil and Amazon Studios. It comes after the format was revamped in the U.S. with four seasons running on USA Network between 2019 and 2022. |
posted 7/5/2023 |
|
|
Amol Rajan Joins University Challenge |
|
One of the UK's toughest quiz show returns to BBC Two and iPlayer – University Challenge! With 28 new student teams tackling questions on everything from aromatic compounds to Zeno of Citium. The new series of University Challenge is set to air on Monday July 17, with new host Amol Rajan asking the questions for the very first time. The show has a new look, with a new set and title sequence, but its time-honoured format remains the same. Heralded by the familiar theme tune, viewers can expect fast-paced, highly competitive matches fought between some of the nations most knowledgeable students, accompanied by the inimitable voice of announcer Roger Tilling. They'll be playing on behalf of universities and university colleges from Aberdeen to Southampton, including one of the UK's smallest and newest universities, making its competition debut. New host Amol Rajan will become only the third person to present the main series of the program in its 61-year history, and will bring his own distinctive approach to the role. Under his watch, matches will be fast, fiercely fought, and full of energy, even in the face of some of the show's most difficult questions yet. Amol Rajan is a broadcaster for the BBC, presenting Radio 4's flagship Today program alongside his prime-time interview show called Amol Rajan Interviews. Rajan hosts BBC podcasts on subjects such as Education, Climate Change, Fairness and Population. He also makes current affairs documentaries, with his most recent series being How to Crack the Class Ceiling. Amol Rajan comments, "We're back! I'm so excited to watch along with audiences and relive this wonderful series. And what a wonderful series it is, with thrilling finishes and standards as high as ever." Audiences can watch University Challenge on July 17 at 8:30pm on BBC Two and iPlayer. University Challenge is commissioned for BBC Two and iPlayer by BBC Head of Entertainment Commissioning Kalpna Patel-Knight. The Commissioning Editor for Entertainment is Pinki Chambers. University Challenge is produced by Lifted Entertainment North, part of ITV Studios, and is produced in association with Richard Reid for the College Bowl Company. The Executive Producer for Lifted Entertainment is Peter Gwyn, and the Series Producer is Clare Parody. University Challenge has been produced in the North West for over sixty years. |
posted 7/5/2023 |
|
|
Lingo Gets R-E-N-E-W....e-d |
|
ITV in the UK has renewed its daytime quizshow Lingo for a fourth, 30×60′ season to air in 2024, produced by Triple Brew Media out of All3Media-owned Objective Media Group North's Manchester base. Adil Ray will return as host, while the format has been tweaked to include a 'winner stays on' element that means any team that gets to the final round is guaranteed a place on the following episode, giving them the opportunity to accumulate a larger prize pot throughout the series. The show is an IDTV and Talpa TV format distributed by All3Media International. |
posted 7/5/2023 |
|
|
|
|
Hong Kong singer-songwriter Coco Lee died on Wednesday after trying to take her own life at the weekend, according to a Facebook post by her sisters. She was 48 years old. Lee sang the Mandarin version of the theme song "Reflection" from 1998 Disney movie Mulan, and also became the first Chinese American to perform at the Oscars, singing the Best Original Song-nominated "A Love Before Time" from Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Lee's sisters, Carol and Nancy, said she had been in a coma since making the suicide attempt over the weekend. "With great sadness, we are here to break the most devastating news: Coco had been suffering from depression for a few years but her condition deteriorated drastically over the last few months," the Facebook post stated. "Although, Coco sought professional help and did her best to fight depression, sadly that demon inside of her took the better of her," they continued. The sisters said she had attempted suicide at home July 2 and had been rushed to hospital, where she had remained in a coma until her death. Lee was born in British Hong Kong in 1975, then moved to the U.S. where she attended middle school and high school, before embarking on a successful career in Asia as a pop singer. Initially a Mando-pop singer, she also released albums in Cantonese and English over her 30-year career. She was the first Chinese singer to be signed by Sony Music globally and voiced the heroine Fa Mulan in the Mandarin version of Disney's Mulan, on which she also sang the theme. In 2001, Lee sang "A Love Before Time," the end-credit title song of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which picked up an Oscar nomination for Best Music, Original Song. She performed the song, which was composed by Jorge Callandelli and Tan Dun with lyrics by James Schamus, at the ceremony. Lee also acted in three films – Stanley Kwan's No Tobacco (2002), Lee Xin's Master of Everything (2004) and He Jiong's Forever Young (2015). She appeared more frequently on mainland Chinese TV, notably as a judge or advisor on talent shows including the 2013 version of "Chinese Idol", the pan-Asian version of "America's Next Top Model", and the 2015 version of "Dancing with the Stars." In 2011, Lee married Canadian businessman Bruce Rockowitz, the former CEO of supply chain company Li & Fung, and had two stepdaughters from the marriage. If you or anyone you know in the US is having thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255 for free, confidential support 24/7, or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources. In other territories, please call your local suicide hotline. |
posted 7/6/2023 |
|
|
Wednesday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alan Arkin, an Oscar-winning actor for "Little Miss Sunshine" with a body of work that spans seven decades of stage and screen acting, died June 29 at his home in Carlsbad, Calif, Variety has confirmed. He was 89. Arkin's sons Adam, Matthew and Anthony said in a joint statement, "Our father was a uniquely talented force of nature, both as an artist and a man. A loving husband, father, grand and great grandfather, he was adored and will be deeply missed." Arkin, who was known for projecting a characteristically dry wit but could play tragedy with equal efficacy, won his Oscar for his supporting performance in the indie comedy "Little Miss Sunshine" in 2007; he scored an encore nomination for his punchy and profane turn in Ben Affleck's best picture winner "Argo." Arkin picked up two earlier nominations in his film career, for "The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming" in 1967 and for "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter" in 1969. More recently, Arkin received back-to-back Primetime Emmy Award nominations in outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series for his performance in the Netflix series "The Kominsky Method," in which he starred alongside Michael Douglas. Arkin received four additional Emmy nominations (across other categories) earlier in his career. Beyond his screen career, Arkin began in entertainment as a stage performer, serving as an early member of the Second City comedy troupe in Chicago before making his Broadway debut in "From the Second City" in 1961. Two years later, he scored a Tony Award for starring in Joseph Stein's comedy "Enter Laughing." In "Argo" he played Lester Siegel, the Hollywood veteran who was recruited to produce a fictional sci-fi film whose production would provide cover for the rescue of American hostages in Iran. Siegel, wrote Pete Hammond in his review, even "goes to the extreme of announcing the project in a Variety ad and article. 'If I am going to be making a fake movie, I want to have a fake hit,' says Lester, played to amusing perfection by Arkin." In "Little Miss Sunshine," Arkin played the foul-mouthed, heroin-snorting grandfather Edwin. The San Francisco Chronicle said: "The cast is so perfect that it's impossible to imagine anyone else in the roles. Arkin's spontaneity gives the impression that he's improvising." Abigail Breslin played Arkin's granddaughter, whose desire to compete in a talent contest take the whole family on a road trip in "Little Miss Sunshine" "Alan Arkin was one of the most kindest gentlest and hilarious actors I ever worked with," Breslin said. "We may not have been related in real life but he will always be Grandpa in my heart. I send my deepest sympathies this his wife Suzanne and his family." As for television, Arkin was among the many actors who did some time on "Sesame Street" in the early 1970s. He tried series television with the brief 1987 ABC sitcom "Harry" (in which he starred with then-wife Barbara Dana, among others) and more successfully in the new century with Sidney Lumet's well-written, well-acted courthouse drama "100 Centre Street." Reviewing the latter, the New York Times lauded "Alan Arkin's superbly real, understated portrayal of Joe Rifkind, a thoughtful judge so prone to giving criminals every chance at redemption that his nickname is Let-'em-Go Joe." He appeared in a number of TV movies over the years, including the 1978 telepic "The Defection of Simas Kudirka" and, much later, "And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself," in which he played a world-weary mercenary. Even after his film career had launched, Arkin occasionally guested on series, doing an arc on "St. Elsewhere" in 1983 as the husband of a stroke victim played by Piper Laurie; appearing in 1997 on "Chicago Hope" (on which son Adam was a series regular); and guesting on "Will & Grace" in 2005. On game shows, he was a mystery guest on "What's My Line" in 1965. Thirteen years later, he would venture to Toronto to play "Definition". In addition to his three sons — Adam and Matthew, with Yaffe; and Anthony Dana Arkin, with Dana — Alan Arkin is survived by third wife, Suzanne Newlander Arkin, whom he married in 1999. |
posted 6/7/2023 |
|
|
CBS Raids the Cage |
|
Israeli game show format Raid The Cage is heading to the U.S. Deadline reports that CBS has ordered a remake of the show, which comes from Sony Pictures Television, writing that the show had been in development for several months and wasn't a direct result of the writers strike. Raid The Cage features two teams of two facing off to grab-and-go with prizes from the Cage before their time runs out and the doors close. Correctly answering questions adds seconds to the clock, giving teammates more time to grab prizes from the Cage. After three rounds, the team who banks the highest total dollar value in prizes wins the game, keeps what they have grabbed so far and plays the final round for even bigger prizes including a car. It is produced by Sony Pictures Television's Game Show division with Jack Martin serving as executive producer. The series ran for four seasons on Israel's Channel 2 (Reshet) and is distributed globally by Sony Pictures Television's international sales arm. It was co-created by Shy Barmeli, a Canadian diamond seller-turned-TV creator, TV host Tal Berman and United Studios of Israel. |
posted 6/30/2023 |
|
|
THURSDAY: The Chase Is On |
|
In the latest TV show ratings, ABCs returning Thursday game shows tied CBS' Young Sheldon rerun for the nightly demo win, while Sheldon also drew the most viewers. The Kelly Ripa-hosted Generation Gap opened its sophomore run with 3.1 million total viewers and a 0.3 rating, steady in audience but down a tick in the demo from its Season 1 averages. The Sara Haines-led The Chase resumed Season 3 with its best audience (2.8 million) since late Season 2 (circa February 2022) and put up a pretty typical 0.3 rating. With just three episodes over two weeks left, NBC's The Blacklist inched up to its second-best Thursday audience of its farewell run (2.5 mil) while posting its 17th 0.2 rating out of 19 episodes. CBS's Young Sheldon repeat drew 3.3 million viewers. |
posted 6/29/2023 |
|
|
Happy Friday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ryan Seacrest will take over as host of Sony Pictures Television's long-running Wheel of Fortune after Pat Sajak retires at the end of this upcoming season. By the time he retires, Sajak will have hosted Wheel of Fortune for all 41 years the syndicated version of the show has been on the air. Seacrest, who will also serve as consulting producer, will start his run in September 2024. Wheel of Fortune, together with top access game show Jeopardy!, airs on ABC-owned stations in top markets, including WABC New York, KABC Los Angeles and WLS Chicago. Seacrest, who hosts ABC's American Idol and was Kelly Ripa's co-host on ABC's daytime syndicated talker Live with Kelly and Ryan for six years, already has a strong relationship with ABC viewers and executives. Seacrest also hosts — and co-produces — Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve with Ryan Seacrest, which has aired on ABC every New Year's Eve since 2005. (Prior to that, Clark hosted the special in various incarnations from 1974 to 2003. Regis Philbin hosted in 2004 after Clark suffered a stroke.) "I'm truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak. I can say, along with the rest of America, that it's been a privilege and pure joy to watch Pat and Vanna on our television screens for an unprecedented 40 years, making us smile every night and feel right at home with them," Seacrest said in a statement. "Pat, I love the way you've always celebrated the contestants and made viewers at home feel at ease. I look forward to learning everything I can from you during this transition." Seacrest also noted that coming to Sony to host Wheel of Fortune is a "full-circle moment" for him, having hosted a game show called Click for Merv Griffin 25 years ago. "I can't wait to continue the tradition of spinning the wheel and working alongside the great Vanna White," Seacrest said. "I've had the pleasure of working with Pat and Vanna for many years, witnessing their effortless ability to bring joy and humor to Wheel of Fortune for decades! Pat has been an incredible host and helped build the show into the success it is today," Suzanne Prete, executive VP of game shows at Sony Pictures Television, said, also in a statement. "While Ryan has some big shoes to fill, I'm confident he will connect with our loyal fanbase and excite a whole new audience as we expand upon the show's great legacy. I couldn't be more thrilled." Taking to Twitter for the first time since making his announcement on June 12, Sajak said he's looking forward to his final season of Wheel of Fortune before "handing over the car keys" to Seacrest in 2024. "I'm looking forward to my final season starting this fall, and then handing over the car keys to Ryan Seacrest in September of 2024," Sajak wrote. Besides his other hosting duties, Seacrest also hosts and produces iHeartMedia's nationally syndicated morning drive-time radio show, On Air with Ryan Seacrest as well as weekly show, American Top 40 with Ryan Seacrest. Wheel of Fortune is executive produced by Bellamie Blackstone. It's distributed in syndication by CBS Media Ventures. |
posted 6/29/2023 |
|
|
Fox Hits the Floor |
|
Fox is set to adapt Dutch physical quiz show The Floor. The network has acquired the U.S. rights to the show, which comes from The Voice and Big Brother creator John De Mol and Eureka Productions, the company behind ABC's Holey Moley. The deal is a rare bright spot for the unscripted TV community, which has seen a lack of major purchases during the past six months. Fox, along with CBS, whose CEO George Cheeks told Deadline that it is working on four or five unscripted series as part of its writers strike contingencies, now are bucking this trend, a boon for reality producers. The Floor is a physical quiz show that sees 100 contestants face off in quiz duels on a giant LED floor divided into a hundred equal squares, each representing its own field of knowledge. The first challenger, selected at random, must choose one of his or her neighboring opponents to go head-to-head in an epic quiz duel in the opponent's category. The winner takes over the loser's square, gaining valuable ground as they expand their territory, while the loser exits the game. The winner must then choose – do they continue on and attempt to secure another square? Or do they let The Floor choose a new challenger? The last contestant standing who gains full control over The Floor takes home a life-changing $250,000 cash prize. The series stared in the Netherlands on RTL4 and is being remade in France and Germany and was optioned in the UK. It is the latest show at Fox for Fremantle-backed Eureka, run by Chris Culvenor and Paul Franklin, after Farmer Wants A Wife. The company is also behind the reboot of The Mole at Netflix. |
posted 6/29/2023 |
|
|
Hulu's Got a Secret... Chef. |
|
Here are the basic components of Secret Chef: an underground "secret cooking facility" of private kitchens connected by conveyor belts (per the press release). An animated host that is equal parts Jigsaw from Saw and the creepy doll in Squid Game. Competitors who must keep their identities secret and are given aliases so you have to remember both their real names and who is "Chef Radicchio." Competitors who are sometimes chefs, sometimes home cooks, but also always the judges, tasked with rating each dish within the confines of their secret kitchens. If this sounds confusing, yes. Secret Chef, the new cooking competition show now out on Hulu and executive produced by David Chang, seems less concerned with actually celebrating talent than taking every trope that already exists in the long history of cooking competition shows, plus some new ones, and throwing them in a blender to create some sort of monster-competition. |
posted 6/29/2023 |
|
|
Guy Invites All-Stars to Flavortown |
|
On this epic five-week tournament, Guy Fieri brings together eight of the most renowned chefs in the culinary world to compete in the Flavortown Market for the very first time on Guy's Grocery Games: All-Star Invitational. The exhilarating competition kicks off on Wednesday, August 16th at 9pm ET/PT with Guy's most challenging aisle games yet. Going head-to-head in this monumental showdown are culinary giants Karen Akunowicz, Nate Appleman, Jose Garces, Ilan Hall, Stephanie Izard, Mei Lin, Shota Nakajima, and Jonathon Sawyer as they vie for the chance to win up to $75,000 in prizes and the coveted trophy. "These culinary rockstars have more awards and accolades than you can count, but let me tell you, they've never experienced the heart-pounding intensity of Flavortown Market before," said Guy Fieri. "They're itching to prove they're the true masters of flavor, and I've got a few tricks up my sleeve to see if they're the real deal!" Each week the chefs go head-to-head to see whose shopping and cooking skills are a cut above the rest. They must navigate their way through the grocery aisles as they are tested in challenges from "Express Lane," where they must create a signature sandwich and side using only 8 ingredients, to "Budget Battle," where they must make an impressive weeknight dinner for four with only $25, to "Frozen Food Feud," where they must make a dish only using frozen ingredients, and many more. Ultimately, the food does the talking, as a rotating panel of judges determine who checks out of the competition. "It's an absolute thrill to witness these incredible chefs, at the pinnacle of the food world, racing down the aisles for the very first time as Guy Fieri puts their skills to the test. Viewers will be captivated by the extraordinary dishes they create under the pressure of the ticking clock," said Betsy Ayala, Head of Content, Food, Warner Bros. Discovery. |
posted 6/29/2023 |
|
|
He's Baaaaack! |
|
Lottery courier Jackpocket has announced the upcoming launch of its first live entertainment product in partnership with comedian and former HQ Trivia host Scott Rogowsky. He will serve as the executive producer and primary host of Jackpocket Live, scheduled for launch later this year. The game will feature other celebrity co-hosts and provide participants with daily opportunities to win real money. Peter Sullivan, CEO and co-founder of Jackpocket, said he's excited to partner with Rogowsky. He believes that the comedian's expertise and creative input from his experience with HQ Trivia will help Jackpocket Live, and lottery fans will love the game. He added that the company wants to be a trailblazer in the industry and for users to expect more games from Jackpocket. Meanwhile, Rogowsky said that fans would have fun while playing for a chance to win real money. He added: "Get ready for the greatest thing to hit your phone since, well, Jackpocket! I'm so excited to be part of Jackpocket's expansion into live streaming content and for folks to try the new game when it hits the app this year. We're gonna have some fun, win some cash, and feel good doing it." The announcement is light on details about what the game will involve, but describes it as a "live draw game." That suggests it will be more in keeping with Jackpocket's core lottery product than a quiz show like HQ Trivia. |
posted 6/29/2023 |
|
|
Channel 4 Doubles the Money |
|
The real world game called Double The Money will see pairs of ordinary people challenged over several weeks to go out in the real world and double their money in a race to win a hefty cash sum. Channel 4 share: "Double The Money will see pairs of contestants come together on day one to receive a modest starting pot of seed money. As soon as they receive the cash the clock starts ticking and their mission is clear: double the money within the next exhilarating few hours or face elimination from the game. "With complete freedom on how to spend their starting pot, contestants must devise smart strategies, bold hustles and ingenious ideas to turn their initial sum into a substantial fortune. However, contestants shouldn't get too comfortable if one idea works because they will be eliminated if they attempt to use the same idea twice. "As the competition progresses, each round increases the cash target that teams must achieve and extends the time they have to do it. The stakes are high, and the pressure is on as the clock counts down with each passing round. By the final round, weeks later, the remaining duo that makes the most money in the given time will win a large cash prize to add to their final pot." Head of Daytime & Features at Channel 4, Jo Street said: "This is an incredibly exciting format that breaks the mould of traditional game shows. By taking the competition out of the shiny TV studio and immersing the contestants in the real world, we're sure to see some truly creative ways of making money as our pairs battle it out for the top cash prize." Andrew Mackenzie, Co-CEO at programme makers South Shore added: "The world is full of people with great side hustles and weird and wonderful ways to make money. In challenging economic times, this format tests the couples' money-making ideas and their relationships." A start date for the series is to be announced in due course. |
posted 6/29/2023 |
|
|
WEDNESDAY: Midsummer Midweek |
|
In the latest TV show ratings, the night was right for "The Price Is Right at Night", as two reruns logged in the highest totals in both total audience and the demographic. NBC narrowly took the silver with a new episode of LA Fire & Rescue (2.63m/0.2) and reruns of Chicago Fire (2.18m/0.2) & Chicago PD (1.90m/0.2). ABC landed in third with new episodes of Judge Steve Harvey (2.83m/0.2) & The Wonder Years (1.78m/0.2) in addition to reruns of Abbott Elementary (1.24m/0.02) & The $100,000 Pyramid (1.53m/0.2). Fox's rerun combo of MasterChef (1.13m/0.02) & Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars (850k/0.2) landed the network into fourth. The CW's Nancy Drew (380K/0.0) & Riverdale (200K/0.0) were steady. |
posted 6/29/2023 |
|
|
Thursday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Graham Norton is set to front ITV's Wheel of Fortune reboot in the U.K. The Sony Pictures Television-backed Whisper North announced it will bring the iconic game show to ITV1 and ITVX in 2024 after a U.K. version of Wheel of Fortune aired on ITV from 1988-2001. "I'm beyond excited to be bringing such an iconic American show to a new British audience. My first ever TV job was a game show on ITV so this feels like coming full circle. You might even call it a wheel!" Norton, host of the popular BBC talker The Graham Norton Show and the recently-canceled "Queen of the Universe", said in a statement. The U.K. reboot will be based on the successful global format and will include two celebrity specials centered around a giant carnival wheel. "We are thrilled to have the much loved Graham Norton bringing this iconic game show to our viewers. Anything can happen on the spin of a wheel, it is going to be so much fun," Katie Rawcliffe, head of entertainment commissioning at ITV, said in her own statement. The original U.S. show is produced by Sony Pictures Television Studios, a Sony Pictures Entertainment Company, which is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution, along with the format rights. Whisper North already produces a local version of Jeopardy!, hosted by Stephen Fry, for ITV. |
posted 6/28/2023 |
|
|
|
|
CBS' #1-rated daytime game show, THE PRICE IS RIGHT, hosted by Drew Carey, adds two new episodes to primetime in July, a show honoring active-duty military and an episode that pays tribute to the final taping at the longtime home of the series, The Bob Barker Studio 33 in Television City, Hollywood, before moving to a new state-of-the art facility. To honor those who make sacrifices for our freedom, THE PRICE IS RIGHT celebrates active-duty military, veterans and their families with a themed episode, airing Monday, July 3 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the special airs)*. United States Air Force band The Band of The Golden West from Sacramento, Calif., makes a memorable appearance on the show with a performance consisting of 16 talented and versatile airmen-musicians under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Cristina Moore Urrutia. In a primetime encore presentation, THE PRICE IS RIGHT pays tribute to The Bob Barker Studio 33 during the show's final taping at that location. The episode airs Monday, July 10 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the special airs).*After 51 years of calling Television City home, the hit game show is spinning the Big Wheel east, into a brand-new, state-of-the-art facility at Haven Studios in Glendale, Calif., for season 52. The episode includes lucky contestants playing classic PRICE IS RIGHT games, including the "Grand Game" for $33,000 (usually played for $10,000) and fan-favorite "The Money Game." Plus, one fortunate contestant gets a chance to play the very first game played on THE PRICE IS RIGHT in 1972. Along with host Drew Carey and announcer George Gray, all six of the show's models appear, including Rachel Reynolds, Manuela Arbeláez, Amber Lancaster, Alexis Gaube, James O'Halloran and Devin Goda. Since "The Price is Right" relaunched in 1972 with former host Bob Barker, the show has taped more than 9,500 episodes on the Television City lot in Los Angeles. However, now it's headed to a new home. "I'll miss, like, the sense of history," current host and comedian Drew Carey told CBS News about the move. "When I come in here it's just always felt like a nice, comfortable shoe," added Carey, who has hosted the show since 2007. Memorable games like Plinko, Hole in One and the Showcase Showdown are all headed to a brand new stage in the nearby city of Glendale, located in the northeast L.A. metropolitan area. "I grew up watching this show with my grandma every day, so it's a sad day for me for sure," said Amber Lancaster, a model on the show. That was a sentiment echoed by show announcer George Gray, who is sad to see the show leaving Studio 33, the same stage that was used by the legendary "The Carol Burnett Show." " If it was up to me, we wouldn't leave, you know," Gray said. "I mean, I love this history." "The fact that I'm here and I'm the last one to host this 'Price is Right' here, and they're trusting me to move it along and start the whole stage again, I feel pretty good about that, a pretty good honor," Carey said. The Price Is Right, created by Bob Stewart and developed by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman, premiered on September 4, 1972, a reboot of the classic auction game hosted by Bill Cullen. Bob Barker hosted the program from its inception until his retirement in 2007, when Carey took over. The stage, which was previously home to The Carol Burnett Show, The Jack Benny Program, and The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, among others, was dedicated to Barker in 1998. The more modern studio in Glendale will be revealed this fall, where contestants will continue to "come on down" for many more seasons. |
posted 6/28/2023 |
|
|
Meet the Queens from Down Under |
|
Start your engines and mark your calendars for July 28. "RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under" is back for a third season with 10 fierce and fabulous queens. RuPaul will be hosting the series with returning judges Michelle Visage and Rhys Nicholson. "Australasian drag is filled with heart and humor, and I'm thrilled to share my Season 3 queens to the world, for all to see their charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent," RuPaul says. The 10 queens hail from across New Zealand and Australia. This season promises to be filled with thrills and maxi-challenges galore as the queens go head-to-head to snatch the crown. "RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under" will air day and date on WOW Presents Plus in the U.S. and select territories worldwide, with its local airing on TVNZ+ in New Zealand and Stan in Australia. Meet the queens linked below. |
posted 6/28/2023 |
|
|
|
|
Following its run on Paramount+, the second season of "Queen of the Universe" will land on streaming platform WOW Presents Plus as a box set. Produced by "RuPaul's Drag Race" producers World of Wonder, and hosted by BAFTA-winner Graham Norton, the Eurovision-style series finds countries going head to head with their top drag queens putting their real singing voices to the test. In the second season, former Spice Girl Mel B joins returning judges including recording artist, three-time Emmy-winning producer and judge of "RuPaul's Drag Race,' Michelle Visage, multi-Emmy and Grammy nominee Vanessa Williams and American drag superstar Trixie Mattel. The "Queen of the Universe" Season 2 cast includes Aura Eternal (Italy), Chloe V (Brazil), Jazell Royale (U.S.), Love Masisi (Netherlands), Maxie (Philippines), Militia Scunt (U.S.), Miss Sistrata (Israel), Taiga Brava (Mexico), Trevor Ashley (Australia) and Viola (U.K.). Global drag icon and multi-Emmy Award winner RuPaul serves as an executive producer on the series, alongside MTV Entertainment Studios and World of Wonder. |
posted 6/28/2023 |
|
|
TUESDAY: Time for Talent |
|
In the latest TV show ratings, NBC's America's Got Talent of course dominated an especially quiet summertime Tuesday, both in viewers and in the coveted and savory 18-49 demographic. AGT, with 5.7 million total viewers and a 0.6 demo rating, was down a tick week-to-week, while Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge (1.6 mil/0.2) in turn slipped to its smallest numbers yet. The CW's Superman & Lois (744K/0.1) with its Season 3 finale matched its biggest audience of the season, which was set by the premiere. Gotham Knights (336K/0.0) with its series finale rebounded a bit from last week's audience low. Fox's movie Daughter of the Bride (972K/0.1) received precious few RSVPs. |
posted 6/28/2023 |
|
|
Love at First Bite |
|
The cooking-challenged competitors are single and ready to mingle in Worst Cooks in America: Love at First Bite, premiering with a supersized 90-minute episode on Sunday, August 6th at 8pm ET/PT on Food Network. In the eight-episode season, food superstars Anne Burrell and Jeff Mauro each lead a team of fun and flirty kitchen disasters through a life-changing culinary bootcamp to transform them from cooking duds into kitchen studs. The recruits not only learn how to make date-friendly dishes like sushi, spicy wontons and classic French pastries, they also go head-to-head in romantic dating-inspired challenges like the Cupid Games, the Bagel-orette and the Inferno Zone. In the end, only the most improved recruit left standing is awarded a $25,000 grand prize, bragging rights for their mentor and the ability to add "great cook" to their dating profile. "These singles are desperate to learn to cook and they have come to the right place," said Betsy Ayala, Head of Content, Food, Warner Bros. Discovery. "This season, Anne and Jeff have their hands full with these disastrous love-obsessed cooks. They are the perfect duo to help lead the hilarious and inspiring culinary transformations." The competitors are: Terri Arcelia (Atlanta, Georgia); James Bates (Hammond, Louisiana); Michael Kazakov (Staten Island, New York); Allegra Melton (Jonesboro, Arkansas); Matthew Militello (Los Angeles, California); Denz Mooney (Long Island, New York); Toneata Morgan (Los Angeles, California); Kermit Moss Jr. (Fullerton, California); Etherio Noon (Chicago, Illinois); Charles Osbourne (New York, New York); Sterling Quinn (New York, is New York); Zach Russell (New York, New York); Jessica Singer (Los Angeles, California); Amy Solomon (Las Vegas, Nevada); Lou Tocquie (Rochester, New York) and Sami White (Chicago, Illinois). |
posted 6/28/2023 |
|
|
MONDAY: Almost Famous |
|
In the latest TV show ratings, ABC's Claim to Fame led Monday in the demo, while CBS' NCIS rerun copped the night's largest audience. Claim to Fame opened Season 2 with 2.4 million total viewers and a 0.4 demo rating, hitting and matching series highs. The Bachelorette (1.9 mil/0.3), however, was down sharply from last summer's premiere (3 mil/0.7) and season averages (3.3 mil/0.8). Fox's Stars on Mars (840K/0.2) hit another audience low, while Crime Scene Kitchen (1.1 mil/0.2) added eyeballs. NBC's American Ninja Warrior (3 mil/0.3) and The Wall (2.4 mil/0.3) both dipped. The CW's The Rising (423K/0.1) somewhat randomly surged to what might be a Stateside audience high. A Nancy Drew rerun (263K/0.1) fared much better than the yanked Barons' final airing (157K/0.0). That NCIS repeat drew 3.3 million viewers, On cable (totals/A18-45)... |
posted 6/27/2023 |
|
|
Tuesday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
The Nordics Are Laughing... |
|
Prime Video has unveiled 12 new unscripted reality and entertainment series coming to the Nordics, including an adaptation of the hit format "LOL: Last One Laughing" for Denmark and Norway. The streamer has also renewed the Swedish version of "LOL: Last One Laughing" for a second season. All Nordic versions of "LOL: Last One Laughing" are filmed and produced in Sweden by Jarowskij in Sweden, Metronome in Denmark and Nordisk Banijay in Norway. |
posted 6/26/2023 |
|
|
|
|
CBS adds TOUGH AS NAILS to its summer reality schedule with airings twice a week, premiering with a special two-hour episode on Sunday, July 2 (8:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) and Friday, July 7 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+* with new episodes airing every Sunday and Friday in subsequent weeks. TOUGH AS NAILS is a competition series that celebrates everyday Americans who consider the calluses on their hands a badge of honor. For the first time, the show filmed in the Canadian "Steeltown" of Hamilton, Ontario, and will feature essential workers from both the United States and Canada who are ready to test their strength, endurance, life skills and mental toughness in challenges that take place in real-world scenarios. One by one, these workers are eliminated from the individual competition until a winner is crowned, but nobody goes home. Contestants who "punch out" of the individual competition continue to compete until the end of the season in a team competition with a chance of winning additional cash prizes. TOUGH AS NAILS joins CBS' recently announced summer lineup that includes SECRET CELEBRITY RENOVATION, now premiering on Friday, Aug. 4 (8:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT)*; the milestone 25th season of BIG BROTHER starting Wednesday, Aug. 2 (8:00-9:30 PM, ET/PT) followed by Thursday and Sunday editions; the musical game show SUPERFAN debuting Wednesday, Aug. 9 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT); and THE CHALLENGE: USA launching on Thursday, Aug. 10 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT). All series will also be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+*. |
posted 6/26/2023 |
|
|
Monday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
Australian "Traitors" Coming to BBC |
|
The Traitors Australia is the latest instalment in the hugely popular reality series, and it's heading to BBC Three and iPlayer in the summer. Following on from the success of The Traitors UK and `The Traitors US, the latest version of the deceptive competition series will be set down under, giving Australians the chance to win a seriously impressive prize fund. A synopsis for the upcoming series reveals: "A group of contestants arrive at a historic luxury hotel in the Southern Highlands as Faithful contestants – hoping to share a prize fund worth up to A$250,000. "Amongst them are the Traitors – a group of four contestants selected by host Rodger Corser on the first day, whose goal is to eliminate the Faithfuls and claim the prize for themselves." Australian actor and TV personality Rodger Corser is hosting this edition of the series. He is known for his role as Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Owen in the crime mini-series Underbelly and Dr. Hugh Knight in Doctor Doctor. |
posted 6/23/2023 |
|
|
More on "The Wheel" Cancelation |
|
The Wheel won't return for a second season on NBC. Deadline reported Thursday that the game show has been canceled after one season. TVLine confirmed the news. The Wheel was a U.S. remake of the U.K. game show of the same name. The U.K. version was created and hosted by British comedian Michael McIntyre. McIntyre also hosted the U.S. version. The Wheel featured a "wheel" of celebrity guests who helped contestants answer questions in pursuit of a cash prize. Celebrity guests included Christina Ricci, Amber Ruffin, Tori Spelling, Ricki Lake, Amber Riley, Margaret Cho, Chrissy Metz and Tony Hawk. The Wheel Season 1 aired on NBC in December 2022. The series was produced by Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Warner Horizon, Apploff Entertainment and Hungry McBear. |
posted 6/23/2023 |
|
|
Happy Friday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NBC's four-time Emmy Award-winning musical competition series "The Voice" announces star-studded coaching lineup for season 25, airing spring 2024. Three-time Grammy Award-winners Dan + Shay join as NBC's first-ever coaching duo. They are familiar faces to "The Voice," having served as Blake Shelton's Battle Advisors in season 20. Dan + Shay claim their red double chair alongside multi-media entertainment mogul Reba McEntire and EGOT winner John Legend, both of whom return for back-to-back cycles. Three-time Grammy Award-winning artist Chance the Rapper is back following his season 23 debut. The performer, songwriter and record producer won over viewers with his fresh perspective and incredible arrangements. In the 10 years since they formed, Dan + Shay have garnered over 10 billion global career streams to date, 46 total RIAA certifications and achieved nine #1 singles on country radio. In 2021, they became the first artists to win the Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance three times consecutively since the category's inception. Their Platinum-certified self-titled third album included global hit "Tequila" (7x platinum), multi-platform success "Speechless" (6x platinum) and #1 country song "All to Myself" (2x platinum). Dan + Shay's mark on country music, and beyond, continues to grow with the release of their highly anticipated fourth studio album, "Good Things." NBC previously confirmed the coaching panel for season 24, airing fall 2023. The megastar lineup includes Niall Horan, John Legend, Reba McEntire and Gwen Stefani. "The Voice" was the #1 alternative series in total viewers for the fourth consecutive season. |
posted 6/22/2023 |
|
|
|
|
Alan Carr, Daisy May Cooper and Stephen Mangan are to feature in new game show Password. A UK version of the hit US series will come to ITV1 and ITVX. Comedian Alan Carr and actor and writer Daisy May Cooper will appear as team captains with Stephen Mangan hosting. In each episode, Daisy and Alan will team up with a contestant and must try to guess mystery 'passwords' with help from one-word clues. A cash prize awaits the winner in the jackpot final. Stephen Mangan said: "Password is a fantastic game show so it's an absolute pleasure to be the host. Although how I'm going to keep Daisy and Alan in line I don't know!" Alan Carr added: "I can't wait to wipe the floor with Daisy, she'll be heading back to the West Country with her tail between her legs. If only her brain was as big as her mouth." Daisy May Cooper commented: "I'm looking forward to knocking the glasses off Alan with my exceptional talent for this game. I know that…given both our training (Me – drama school, Alan – Tesco) that between us (meaning mostly me) we will be able to win people lots of cash (just to reiterate when I say 'we' I mean 'me')" Password was originally created by Bob Stewart for Goodson-Todman Productions, and the format is now owned by Fremantle, which holds international production and distribution rights. The series originally launched on CBS in 1961 and ran for more than 1,500 episodes before moving to ABC in 1971. NBC revived the show in 1979 and 1984, and CBS also made a primetime series Million Dollar Password in 2008. It was then revived again in the US, starring Jimmy Fallon and hosted by Keke Palmer, in 2022 with the refreshed series launching as the most-watched new unscripted series premier of the summer across US broadcast networks. The latest adaptations of the format will be next launching in Spain and Mexico. Katie Rawcliffe, Head of Entertainment Commissioning at ITV, said: "Password is a brilliantly fun format greatly complemented by a fabulous on-screen trio in Alan, Daisy and Stephen. |
posted 6/22/2023 |
|
|
WEDNESDAY: On Fire |
|
In the latest TV show ratings, Fox's MasterChef led Wednesday in the demo, while NBC's LA Fire & Rescue launch delivered one of the night's biggest audiences. Both MasterChef (with 2.2 million total viewers and a 0.4 demo rating) and Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars (1.6 mil/0.3) were steady. ABC's Judge Steve Harvey (3 mil/0.3) and The Wonder Years (1.8 mil/0.2) were steady. The CW's Nancy Drew (380K/0.0) slipped to season lows on both counts. Riverdale (200K/0.0) dipped to its third-smallest audience of the season. |
posted 6/22/2023 |
|
|
TUESDAY: Time for Talent |
|
In the latest TV show ratings, NBC's America's Got Talent dominated Tuesday in both the demo and in total viewers. AGT this Tuesday drew 5.7 million total viewers and a 0.6 demo rating, dropping just a handful of eyeballs week-to-week. Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge (1.8 mil/0.3) was steady. The CW'sSuperman & Lois (670K/0.1) inched up to its largest audience in eight episodes, ahead of next week's season finale. Gotham Knights (290K/0.0), however, dipped to a new audience low ahead of its series finale. Fox's Beat Shazam (1 mil/0.2) and Don't Forget the Lyrics! (1 mil/0.2) were both steady. |
posted 6/22/2023 |
|
|
|
|
Choi Sung-bong, a male singer who was the runner up in the 2011 edition of "Korea's Got Talent" talent show, died on Tuesday. He was 33. Choi was found dead by police at his home in the Yeoksam district in southern Seoul at 9:41 a.m. Tuesday, according to police and fire authorities on Wednesday. According to the Yonhap news agency, authorities in Seoul report that Choi appeared to have died by suicide. Their conclusion was drawn from a combination of the circumstances at his home and a note that he posted to YouTube implying death by suicide. "I sincerely apologize to all who suffered from my foolish mistake," the note said. Choi only narrowly missed out on first place in the tvN-broadcast "Korea's Got Talent" after performing an operatic version of Ennio Morricone's "Nella Fantasia" and parlayed his near-miss into a record deal with Bong Bong Company. He released three albums, a handful of singles and also published a memoir about his rise from a poor background. In 2021, Choi received public support and large sums of money after claiming that he was fighting multiple forms of cancer. However, his claims were revealed as fraudulent. While he fell out of the public eye thereafter, he also promised repay the sums he received. His YouTube note said that all donations had been returned to those who asked. "From 2011 to the present, I have been receiving attention and love from so many people. I sincerely thank you and express my gratitude […] Looking back, since I was young, I tried my best to enjoy a normal life, like every day for 10 years, but in the end, I'm sorry," his YouTube note said. If you or anyone you know in the US is having thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255 for free, confidential support 24/7, or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources. In other territories, please call your local suicide hotline. |
posted 6/7/2023 |
|
|
BBC Acquires STV |
|
BBC Studios has acquired pan-Scandinavian production company STV. The acquisition will help the British production-distribution powerhouse grow its footprint in Denmark, Norway and Sweden, and build out its existing production outfits. BBCS has said the deal is "in response to the growing appetite and opportunity for BBC content in the market." Based in Copenhagen with offices in Norway and Sweden, STV's credits include factual entertainment formats such as "Big Love" and "Get Lost Honey." STV also acts as the local producer for "Long Lost Family," "Wheel of Fortune" and "Bargain King," in addition to long-running scripted series "The First Years" across Denmark, Norway and Sweden. BBC Studios and STV previously partnered on "Denmark Saves the Planet" for TV2 and the ongoing development of a local version of "The Office." STV's three existing bases will be rebranded as BBC Studios Nordic Productions and the regional MD, Daniel Svarts, will report into Jan Salling, head of BBC Studios Nordic. |
posted 6/22/2023 |
|
|
Thursday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pat Sajak is stepping down as the host of Wheel of Fortune after more than four decades. "Well, the time has come," Sajak said in a statement to Bloomberg News on Monday. "I've decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last. It's been a wonderful ride, and I'll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all." Sajak has hosted the syndicated game show since its nighttime debut in 1983. He also hosted the daytime edition from 1981 to 1989. Prior to Sajak, Wheel was hosted by Chuck Woolery since the show's premiere in 1975. Sajak, who was named chairman on the Hillsdale College Board of Trustees in 2019 after former chairman William Brodbeck retired, will serve as the chairman for the Michigan college. A true television icon, Sajak has thrice won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host. He has received 16 additional nominations. There was a time when Sajak did double duty at the wheel; in the '80s he hosted a daytime version on NBC and a syndicated version in the evening. When the show hit its 36th in 2018, Sajak became the longest-running host of any game show, surpassing The Price Is Right's Bob Barker. Last year, Sajak was asked during an interview for Entertainment Tonight about when he'd like to leave the show that made him a star. "I'd like to leave before people tune in, look at me and say, 'Ooh, what happened to him?'". "Years go by fast," he told ET while celebrating Wheel's 40th season in 2022. "We're getting near the end. It's been a long [time]. We're not gonna do this for another 40 years. The end is near. … It's an honor to have been in people's living rooms for that long." Sajak plans to continue as a consultant for three years after his final season. A replacement for Sajak was not included in this initial announcement, though plenty of Wheel enthusiasts have already taken to social media to campaign for Vanna White — Sajak's longtime co-host, an expert letter turner and the very picture of glamour — to take over full-time. White still can't believe she's made it through nearly 41 seasons of "Wheel of Fortune" with her co-host Pat Sajak, who announced Monday that his time on the show is officially coming to an end. "When we started @WheelofFortune who could have imagined we'd still be at it 41 seasons later?" White wrote on her Twitter on Tuesday, adding "I couldn't be happier to have shared the stage with you for all these years with one more to come." White concluded her tribute to Sajak by saying, "Cheers to you, @patsajak!" Online sportsbook Bovada has gambling odds posted on the next Wheel of Fortune host, with Ryan Seacrest the current frontrunner at +200 (2-1). |
posted 6/21/2023 |
|
|
Love Island Heads Back to ... an Island |
|
Love Island USA is going back to where it all started and sending its Islanders to find love in Fiji. Peacock launched a trailer for Season 5 of the reality competition today and set the premiere date for July 18. The latest season of the dating show will feature a new group of sexy singles on a search for love in a beautiful villa. Throughout their stay in a tropical oasis, Islanders will couple up to face new challenges and bigger twists and turns than ever. Temptations will rise and drama will ensue as new "bombshells" arrive throughout the season, forcing Islanders to decide if they want to remain with their current partners or recouple with someone new. Islanders also will be at the mercy of viewers at home, who will vote to determine who gets another shot at love and who leaves the villa heartbroken and empty-handed. Love Island USA was set in Fiji when the reality series came to shore on CBS in 2019. Due to the start of the pandemic in 2020 and the restrictions on travel, the second season was set atop a Las Vegas hotel. The third season of the show set the villa in Hawaii, and the fourth took place in Santa Barbara. Season 5 of Love Island USA is produced by ITV Entertainment, an ITV America company. David George, Adam Sher, Simon Thomas, Ben Thursby-Palmer, Andy Cadman, Iona Mackenzie and Claudine Parrish serve as executive producers, alongside Tom Gould, Richard Cowles, Mike Spencer, Richard Foster and Chet Fenster. The series is based on a format owned by Lifted Entertainment and GroupM Motion Entertainment and distributed by ITV Studios. |
posted 6/21/2023 |
|
|
More on "Tough as Nails" Season 5 |
|
Meet the 12 new competitors ready to test their strength, endurance, life skills and mental toughness on the new season of TOUGH AS NAILS. The fifth season launches on Sunday, July 2 (8:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) with a two-hour premiere and will continue airing on Fridays and Sundays (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and will be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+*. The show was filmed in a Canadian city forged in steel, "The Hammer," Hamilton, Ontario, and features hardworking Americans and Canadians who are the best of the best in their chosen trade. Some of the seasoned professionals include a carpenter, toolmaker, ironworker, electrician and firefighter; skilled workers who are pushed to their limits, on real-world job sites. One by one, contestants are eliminated from the individual competition until a winner is crowned. What sets TOUGH AS NAILS apart is nobody goes home. Contestants who "punch out" of the individual competition stay to compete through the entire season in a team competition with a chance of winning additional cash prizes. In the first individual challenge of the season, competitors will cut, grind and torch 500 pounds of scrap metal. The first two to finish the job earn the privilege of choosing their teammates for Dirty Hands and Savage Crew. The TOUGH AS NAILS competitors are: |
posted 6/21/2023 |
|
|
To the Winner Goes... a Restaurant |
|
Netflix's July 2023 lineup gets a bit tastier with a brand new cutthroat cooking competition series set to arrive on the service in all regions except the United Kingdom. Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux Jr. judges, advised by chefs and industry insiders Mike Reid and Ravneet Gill, presents the series that's about seven professional chefs competing to bring their fine-dining concept to the historic Palm Court restaurant at London's luxurious Langham Hotel. It was filmed throughout early-to-mid 2022. Michel Albert Roux is an English-French chef with two Michelin stars to his name. He's previously featured in Gordon Ramsay's Hell Kitchen series and the BBC series Masterchef. Per the Palm Court website, the new restaurant that won the competition series is scheduled to launch on July 14th, with tables available to book now. The series has aired on Channel 4 (a state-owned but independently run network behind Big Brother, Derry Girls, and The Inbetweeners) since June 8th, 2023. Now it's the turn of Netflix to stream the show, with all six episodes (each running at 60 minutes) dropping on July 14th.. |
posted 6/21/2023 |
|
|
MONDAY: NCIS Dominates |
|
In the latest TV show ratings, CBS owned the night with three solid hours of NCIS. Fox's Stars on Mars (820K/0.2) shed another 17% of its audience. Crime Scene Kitchen (910K/0.2) similarly was down 11% in audience. The CW's The Rising (320K/0.0) rose 1 percent, while Barons (170K/0.0) rose 33.87%, which is not enough for the show to stay on the schedule. On cable (totals/A18-45)... |
posted 6/21/2023 |
|
|
ITV Puts Black Panel in Primetime |
|
UK commercial broadcaster ITV has greenlit a fourth season of comedy panel format Sorry, I Didn't Know, which is described as the first quizshow to focus on black history. Usually scheduled as part of ITV's Black History Month programming, the show will be moved into a mainstream slot this autumn. Made by TriForce Productions and presented by the prodco's co-founder, Jimmy Akingbola, the show will again feature team captains Chizzy Akudolu and Eddie Kadi answering questions on black history. Akingbola also executive produces Sorry, I Didn't Know alongside fellow TriForce founders Fraser Ayres and Minnie Ayres. "We're thrilled to champion this brilliant show and all it represents," said Katie Rawcliffe, head of entertainment commissioning at ITV. "Sorry, I Didn't Know has quickly established itself as one of our standout panel shows, with all the ingenuity, flair and humour to appeal to a modern, contemporary audience." |
posted 6/21/2023 |
|
|
Wednesday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"The world's most notorious game becomes reality." That's how Netflix is describing its new competition series, Squid Game: The Challenge that's dropping in November. The streamer didn't reveal much about the game based on its runaway hit Squid Game, other than to show how they transformed a massive warehouse into a spot where 456 players will compete or a $4.56M cash prize – the largest cash prize ever for a reality series. The ten-part series will see contestants competing in a series of games inspired by the show plus some new ones and their strategies, alliances, and character will be put to the test while competitors are eliminated around them. It is produced by Studio Lambert, the All3Media-backed producer behind Netflix series such as The Circle, and Peacock/BBC hit The Traitors, and The Garden, the ITV Studios-backed producer behind Channel 4 ob-doc series 24 Hours in A&E. It was filmed in the UK. |
posted 6/20/2023 |
|
|
More on "Love Is Blind" Season 5 |
|
During Netflix's fan event on Saturday, the streamer released a first look at Season 5 of the hugely popular dating series Love Is Blind, which is set to premiere in September. Although the clip doesn't reveal the city that Netflix chose for the upcoming installment, it does give a peek at one of the potential couples. "I'll just be honest with you, I have a track record of crappy relationships. I just haven't found the right person," the woman says, revealing that she's actually been married previously. As it turns out, the man she's speaking to has been engaged. "My mom tells me maybe I'm not meant to be in a relationship," she tells the camera in a confessional. "I'm definitely not a perfect person, but I know I deserve love." Love Is Blind follows a series of single men and women from one specific metropolitan area (most recently Seattle in Season 4) as they go on blind speed dates within adjoined rooms called "pods," getting engaged without ever seeing one another face to face. The dating show, hosted by Vanessa and Nick Lachey, was renewed through Season 5 back in March 2022. When Season 4 debuted, it was among the most streamed series in April on Netflix, just behind No. 1 The Night Agent. An exact premiere date for Love Is Blind Season 5 has yet to be revealed. |
posted 6/20/2023 |
|
|
More on "The Challenge" Season 19 |
|
The Challenge is a juggernaut competition show for MTV, and Season 39 is right around the corner. The upcoming season is currently filming, so there are finally new details that have leaked. While there was a fair amount of criticism of The Challenge: Ride or Dies, The Challenge Season 39 has a different twist—one that may be a welcome change. Ride or Dies saw Tori Deal and Devin Walker secure their first wins, after several seasons competing on the show. The season had an interesting dynamic, but it overall fell flat with viewers. For years, fans have taken to social media to complain about the show being packed with the same old veterans and champions. However, The Challenge Season 39 may prove that MTV is listening to what its viewers have to say. According to Challenge spoiler expert, Vevmo, the theme of The Challenge Season 39 is "Redemption." Though there were earlier reports that the new season would feature a "New Blood" theme, the actual concept is a little different. As part of the Redemption theme, the cast will consist of competitors who have been on the show before, but only for a few seasons, without winning. Presumably, the term, Redemption, refers to a second chance given to these competitors who feel they have something to prove. It's an interesting concept, and it's not entirely new to the franchise. There have been other seasons that operated as redemption seasons for returning vets, but this new season features a different kind of vet. Many of the cast members for The Challenge Season 39 had frustrating runs on their initial seasons, which may have put a fire under their butts prompting them to return. |
posted 6/20/2023 |
|
|
More Layoffs Coming... |
|
As Deadline reported in May, Warner Bros. Discovery is undergoing another round of layoffs in its television business and it's starting today. The layoffs, which were described by insiders as "pockets of refinement" rather than wholesale cuts, are happening in its cable TV business, which includes the Discovery-branded cable networks and Turner networks. Warner Bros. Discovery operates cable networks including Discovery Channel, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Science Channel and Animal Planet as well as the former Scripps networks such as Food Network and HGTV. It also operates the former Turner-branded networks such as TNT, TBS and truTV. The division is run by Chairman and Chief Content Officer, US Networks Group Kathleen Finch. |
posted 6/20/2023 |
|
|
Tuesday Lightning Round |
|
|
|
|
|
posted 8/15/2023
Friends of GSNN
·
FlashGames
·
Bother's Bar
·
About.com Game Shows
·
QWIZX.com
·
The Futon Critic
·
Reality TV World
·
Hollywood Junket
·
Hal Boedeker: the TV Guy
·
F*** Yeah Game Shows @ Tumblr
·
GSNtheKnow
·
Gay Geeks of New York
Copyright Statement
ALL ORIGINAL MATERIAL COPYRIGHT 1999-2021 GAMESHOWNEWSNET.COM. All rights reserved.
No infringement of copyright is intended by these fan pages;
production companies of shows this site covers retain all
rights to the sounds, images, and information contained
herein. No challenge to copyright is implied.
Web design by Jason Elliott. Logo by Chico Alexander.
Full Copyright Statement
Powered by 1&1 Internet