Animal Planet's Groomer of the Year, Artist Knox, Takes on the Glamour and Glitter of Hollywood to become the BEVERLY HILLS GROOMER

-- Beginning Saturday, May 16, South Central Groomer Heads Into the Hills To Preen and Pamper Animals to the Stars--

March 10, 2009

(Silver Spring, Md.) Artist Knox has big dreams. And they might seem unlikely for a kid who grew up in a rough south central, Los Angeles neighborhood trying to overcome what fate dealt him. Coming off his impressive victory on Animal Planet's GROOMER HAS IT last year and equipped with his winnings, Artist wants to strike while the iron's hot and open his own dog grooming salon and school. Determined to prove that an underdog can be the top dog in the highly competitive grooming industry while still giving back, Artist decides to bring his infectious charm, signature style and grooming skills to the ultra chic streets of Beverly Hills. But will the wealthy throngs of Rodeo Drive welcome him with open arms? With $50,000 in his pocket, a mobile-grooming truck and his trusty dog Bumpy by his side, Artist begins his quest to make his dreams a reality on Saturday, May 16, at 10 PM (ET/PT), in the series premiere of BEVERLY HILLS GROOMER.

BEVERLY HILLS GROOMER continues Artist's story after being crowned 2008 Groomer of the Year. This 12-part, half-hour, fish-out-of-water reality series, documents the trials and tribulations Artist faces as he recruits furry and fabulous clients alike, raises funds to open his own shop, balances the demands of being a single father, and hopes to beat the odds of becoming a business success. With his "one for me, one for free," motto, Artist's ultimate goals are to give back to his community and the dogs that need him most.

"If anyone would have told me, that dog grooming would be my calling and provide me with amazing, life-changing opportunities, I probably wouldn't have believed them," says Artist Knox. "Grooming saved my life and with my heart and a pair of scissors, I'm determined to make this business a success. Failure is not an option."

"Opening a business is never easy, but it is especially difficult in tough economic times," says Marjorie Kaplan, president and general manager of Animal Planet. "I think viewers are going to fall in love with and root for him as he pursues the ultimate American dream."

Overflowing with energy, passion and purpose, Artist puts his nose to the grindstone to gain a high-end clientele, including Olympic swimming gold-medalist, Greg Louganis and Emmy award-winning actress, Kathryn Joosten. With the help of his apprentice, his brother Desmond, Artist grooms everything from cocker spaniels to housecats to a baby yak! Artist's sister, Arvene also jumps in by securing clients and taking care of Ariel, Artist's son. Along the way, Artist gets business advice from financial advisor, Cameron Johnson and his friend Jasper, his former competition on GROOMER HAS IT, who already has a successful grooming shop and school in Massachusetts.

Viewers can find out more about BEVERLY HILLS GROOMER including how to start a pet business, highlights from Artist's portfolio, photos of Artist's family, play grooming games as well as submit questions to Ask Artist!, on Animalplanet.com.

BEVERLY HILLS GROOMER is a production of 3Ball Productions. For 3Ball Productions, J.D. Roth, Todd Nelson and Adam Greener are executive producers. For Animal Planet, Melinda Toporoff is the executive producer.

About Animal Planet

Animal Planet Media (APM), a multi-media business unit of Discovery Communications, is the world's only entertainment brand that immerses viewers in the full range of life in the animal kingdom with rich, deep content via multiple platforms and offers animal lovers and pet owners access to a centralized online, television and mobile community for immersive, engaging, high-quality entertainment, information and enrichment. APM consists of the Animal Planet television network, available in more than 95 million homes in the U.S.; online assets www.animalplanet.com, the ultimate online destination for all things animal; the 24/7 broadband channel, Animal Planet Beyond; Petfinder.com, the #1 pet-related Web property globally that facilitates pet adoption; and other media platforms including a robust Video-on-Demand (VOD) service; mobile content; and merchandising extensions.