E! is getting into the original TV movie business.
The NBCUniversal cabler has announced plans to begin programming original romantic comedy films beginning in 2023. The network has commissioned six films to start, though further details about the films were not readily available.
The move into made-for-TV movies at the network comes amid shifting tides in the world of cable and linear television channels. NBCUniversal and other legacy media companies are shifting considerable resources to their streaming efforts, leaving observers wondering what the future of traditional networks like E! will be. Hallmark and Lifetime have both found considerable success with their own slates of original films over the years. Paramount Network was also set to become the home of weekly original films, though Paramount eventually abandoned those plans.
E! is continuing to build out its unscripted offerings as well with the addition of several new shows. Those include “Celebrity Beef” hosted and executive produced by Joel McHale, “Black Pop” executive produced by Stephen Curry, the travel series “Anthony Anderson and Mom: European Vacation,” and “Raising a F***ing Star.” Full descriptions of the new shows can be found below.
New E! Unscripted Shows:
“ANTHONY ANDERSON AND MOM: EUROPEAN VACATION” (WT) – PREMIERES 2023
Anthony Anderson owes his mama Doris a lot. She gave up her own dreams of being an actress to raise him. As a token of his appreciation, he’s treating his mom to the trip of lifetime – a six-week tour around Europe, to discover some of the continent’s wonders and experience a real, cultural vacation. However, spending this amount of quality time will be a real test for their relationship as the pair disagree on just about everything.
From the producers of “Starstruck,” “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” “Breeders” and “Flatbush Misdemeanors,” this series delivers chaos, comedy and lots of emotion as they navigate both Europe and their relationship — all in a heartwarming, fun, and unforgettable mother/son European road trip.
Produced by Avalon with Jamie Isaacs, David Martin, Anthony Anderson, E. Brian Dobbins and Doris Bowman serving as executive producers.
“BLACK POP” (WT) – PREMIERES EARLY 2023
For the first time ever, a multi-part, archive-rich series that looks at the Black American dream through decades of pop culture. The series will explore how Black Americans shaped our culture through film, television, music and comedy.
Produced by NBC News Studios and Unanimous Media with Stephen Curry, Erick Peyton, Melissa Haizlip and Reniqua Allen-Lamphere serving as executive producers.
“CELEBRITY BEEF” (WT) – PREMIERES THIS SUMMER
Everyone loves a good beef … especially when celebrities are involved! Joel McHale returns to the network as host of this good old-fashioned beef-squashing cook-off. Each week two celebrities will go head-to-head in a light-hearted face-off, knives in hand and spices on the rack, ready to cook the best dish this side of the Hollywood Hills. Joel acts as prosecutor, judge and jury, ultimately crowning one celeb the winner of the cook-off as well as helping the celebrities squash their beef once and for all.
Produced by the Content Group with Joel McHale, Rebecca Hertz, Steven Michaels, Jodi Flynn, James Macnab, Andi Walker Ochoa and Ariel Brozell serving as executive producers.
“LOVE LIMO” – PREMIERES 2023
When it comes to matters of the heart, singles are willing to do almost anything to find love, even if that anything is putting their dating life into the hands of Todd Chrisley. In the new series “Love Limo,” hosted and executive produced by Todd Chrisley, he guides one unlucky-in-love single on a whirlwind day of speed dating that will hopefully end in the date night and match of their dreams. Todd believes you can learn everything you need to know about someone else in the first 20 minutes of meeting them and he’s about to put that theory to the test.
Produced by Todd Chrisley Productions and All3Media America with Todd Chrisley, Simon Knight and Kelly Lee serving as executive producers.
“RAISING A F***ING STAR” – PREMIERES SUMMER 2022
From the Emmy Award-winning producers of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and “Million Dollar Listing,” Bravo’s classic series “Showbiz Moms & Dads” is coming to E! with all-new bigger-than-life parents of budding stars. This time around, the stakes are higher, the kids are more talented, and the stage parents are more competitive than ever before!
Produced by World of Wonder with Randy Barbato, Fenton Bailey, Tom Campbell, Darren Ward, Adam Karpel and Shannon Wilson serving as executive producers.
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