Lifetime Television Sets October 5 Premiere for 'Sherri,' All-New Comedy Series Starring Comedienne and Daytime Emmy(R) Award-Nominated Co-Host of 'The View' Sherri Shepherd

Returning Comedy RITA ROCKS Begins Second Season Immediately Following Premiere of SHERRI

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 12 -- Actress, comedienne and co-host of ABC's The View, Sherri Shepherd (30 Rock, Less Than Perfect) leaps from daytime to primetime to headline her own, all-new, multi-camera comedy series Sherri, premiering Monday, October 5, at 7PM ET/PT on Lifetime Television. Sherri will bow as part of a one-hour comedy block paired with the returning Rita Rocks, starring Nicole Sullivan, at 7:30PM ET/PT. Both series will feature stripped original episodes for a full week. Sherri will then move into its regular timeslot (Tuesdays, 10PM ET/PT), followed by Rita Rocks (Tuesdays, 10:30PM ET/PT). Sherri centers around a newly single mom, paralegal and part-time comedienne/actress who tries to get back into the dating scene and move on with her life after divorcing her cheating husband. Sherri finds solace and support among her girlfriends at the office while juggling her hectic life.

Sherri marks the first comedy series ever to be wholly owned by Lifetime. The Network has picked up 12 episodes of the program, to be produced in New York by Lifetime Television. Also starring in the series are Elizabeth Regen (The Black Donnellys), Kate Reinders (Ugly Betty), Kali Rocha (Grey's Anatomy) and Tammy Townsend (TV's Lincoln Heights).

Malcolm-Jamal Warner (The Cosby Show) and James Avery (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), will guest-star in multiple episodes.

Sherri is produced by Lifetime Television. Terri Minsky (Less Than Perfect, Lizzie McGuire), Nina Wass and Gene Stein (Less Than Perfect) are executive producers. Dave Flebotte (Desperate Housewives) is creator and consultant. Shepherd, who will continue to co-host The View, serves as a co-executive producer of Sherri, along with John Peaslee and Judd Pillot (According to Jim). The comedy reunites Shepherd, Minsky, Wass and Stein, who last worked together on the ABC sitcom Less Than Perfect.

Rita Rocks stars Sullivan as Rita Clemens, a married working mom, unfulfilled by her harried life, who tries to regain her identity by recreating her glory days as a musician in a garage band.

The Network has ordered 20 episodes of the second season of Rita Rocks, which is filmed in Los Angeles. In addition to Sullivan, whose real-life pregnancy will figure prominently into the Season Two storyline, the series stars Richard Ruccolo (Two Guys and a Girl) as Rita's husband, Jay, and Tisha Campbell-Martin (My Wife and Kids, Martin) as her friend and bandmate, Patty. Natalie Dreyfuss (He's Just Not That Into You) and Kelly Gould (Lucky Louie) co-star as Rita's daughters, and Raviv Ullman (Phil of the Future) portrays her teenage daughter's ever-present boyfriend, Kip.

Rita Rocks is produced by Media Rights Capital for Lifetime Television. Stan Zimmerman and James Berg (Gilmore Girls, Roseanne) are executive producers and creators. Alan Padula (8 Simple Rules, Home Improvement) is producer.

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