or


[04/26/10 - 05:45 AM]
Let the Praise Party Begin: BET's Hit Singing Competition 'Sunday Best' Names Season Three's Top 20 Contestants
Taping in New Orleans, the stage show portion of SUNDAY BEST begins on Sunday, May 2 at 8:00/7:00c.
[via press release from BET]

Let the Praise Party Begin: BET's Hit Singing Competition 'SUNDAY BEST' Names Season Three's Top 20 Contestants

Gospel Greats Kirk Franklin, Pastor Donnie McClurkin, Yolanda Adams and Mary Mary Land in the New Home of 'SUNDAY BEST,' New Orleans, to Begin the Tough Job of Finding America's Next Gospel Star

NEW YORK, April 26 /PRNewswire/ -- BET's hit gospel singing competition show, SUNDAY BEST is taking praise and competition to the next level. Viewers witnessed as thousands of hopefuls showed up for auditions in Lagos, Nigeria, Detroit, Philadelphia and New Orleans but now the competition swings in to full gear and names this season's Top 20 contestants. Taping in New Orleans, the stage show portion of SUNDAY BEST begins on Sunday, May 2 at 8:00 p.m.*

From a pool of over 15,000 aspiring vocalists, only an elite group of 20 was selected to advance on the road to SUNDAY BEST. Hosted by gospel legend Kirk Franklin, the new season welcomes Pastor Donnie McClurkin and Yolanda Adams to the stellar team of judges including returning multi-award winning siblings Erica and Tina Campbell of Mary Mary.

"This third season, above all those prior, is going to be the most difficult season to judge because of the level of phenomenal talent that we've seen and heard," said judge Donnie McClurkin. "My professional and musical expertise is being utilized to its' highest degree, and because of the level of talent, I wish that there could be more than one SUNDAY BEST. SUNDAY BEST presents the best 'up and coming' gospel talent, hands down."

Here are the Top 20:

Bethany Devine � Little Rock, AR
Brian Smith � Chicago, IL
Brittney J. Dear � Madison, MS
David E. Wilford � Millsboro, DL
Davon Fleming � Baltimore, MD
Dathan Thigpen � Ridgeland, MS
Durward Davis � Tulsa, OK
Fumni Oduyemi � Lagos, Nigeria
Franklin Davis, IV � New Orleans, LA
Goldwire McLendon � Philadelphia, PA
Jonte Thomas � New Orleans, LA
Lamesha "Mesie" Augustine � Indianapolis, IN
Leandria Johnson � Orlando, FL
Martha Buries � Houston, TX
Orlando Wright � Cincinnati, OH
Quiana Pettigrew � Cleveland, OH
Robert Hatcher � Brooklyn, NY
Tawanna Tarvin � Monroe, LA
Tiffany Carlin-Laird � Baton Rouge, LA
Vernell Payton � New Orleans, LA

Viewers are in for a special treat as Stellar Gospel Music Award winner Kim Burrell will share her talent as season three's contestant mentor. Often called "this generation's Ella Fitzgerald," Kim will provide advice and vocal guidance to the Top 20 contestants this season. Fans will recall her stirring performance of "I Believe in You and Me" in an amazing tribute to Whitney Houston during this year's BET HONORS.

In addition to the coveted title of SUNDAY BEST season three contestants will compete for the chance to win a brand new 2010 Ford Taurus SHO and prizes from Degree Nature Effects. Additional sponsors for SUNDAY BEST season three include Pillsbury Grands, Nationwide, General Mills and Design Essentials.

Viewers can watch SUNDAY BEST on Sundays at 8:00 p.m.*

For more on SUNDAY BEST, please visit www.BET.com/sundaybest.

*All times ET/PT

About BET Networks

BET Networks, a division of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.





  [april 2010]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
    


· SUNDAY BEST (BET)




[05/15/26 - 10:42 AM]
The Biggest Home Cook Competition of All-Time Heats Up Food Network This Summer with New Series "100 Cooks"
Hosted by Terry Crews, the series welcomes 100 of the country's best home cooks to run through an epic seven-week culinary gauntlet where 99 cooks will be eliminated and only one is named America's best home cook and wins as much as $250,000.
[05/15/26 - 10:01 AM]
Video: Maggie and Negan Unite to Save Manhattan in New Action-Packed Teaser for Season Three of "The Walking Dead: Dead City"
Starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Lauren Cohan as fan-favorite characters Negan and Maggie, the compelling new season premieres Sunday, July 26 on AMC and AMC+.
[05/15/26 - 09:31 AM]
Ella Rubin Joins Netflix's Series Adaptation of "The God of the Woods"
Rubin joins previously announced cast members Kerry Condon and Maya Hawke.
[05/15/26 - 09:01 AM]
"The Bride!" Begins Streaming Exclusively on HBO Max May 22
The film stars Academy Award, BAFTA and Golden Globe winners Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale, with Academy Award nominees Annette Bening and Jake Gyllenhaal and winner Penélope Cruz.
[05/15/26 - 07:30 AM]
Amy Wang's Breakout Film "Slanted" Now Streaming on Paramount+
The buzzy coming-of-age satire follows a Chinese-American teen willing to go to shocking lengths to become prom queen - offering a razor-sharp take on identity, belonging and the price of chasing perfection.
[05/15/26 - 06:01 AM]
For Keeps - Meet the Cast of "Boys of Tommen"
Nancy Surridge, Conor Sánchez, James O'Donoghue, and Sophie McGibbon will star in the Prime Video series.
[05/15/26 - 05:01 AM]
Video: "Dutton Ranch" - Final Trailer - Paramount+
A new Dutton legacy begins now.
[05/15/26 - 03:01 AM]
BritBox Announces New Original Series "Chocolate Wars" (wt), Inspired by Deborah Cadbury's Book and the True Story of the Cadbury Family
The warm-hearted family drama follows the visionary Cadbury family, the underdogs of the cocoa world, on their journey towards creating the world-famous Cadbury's chocolate bar.
[05/14/26 - 11:27 PM]
Meet the 100 Contestants of "Physical 100: Sweden"
The reality competition series will have a global premiere on Netflix in 2027.
[05/14/26 - 09:31 PM]
A Mother, Two Daughters and One Big Scandal: Netflix's Crime-Comedy "Maa Behen" Premieres June 4
With the film, Netflix brings audiences a wildly entertaining story that blends small-town eccentricity with universal family madness.
[05/14/26 - 05:01 PM]
"Sunday Night Football" on NBC and Peacock - 15-Time #1 Primetime Show - Unveils 2026 Schedule
It all begins with the NFL's season opener as the New England Patriots visit the champion Seattle Seahawks in a Super Bowl LX rematch on Wednesday, September 9 on NBC, Peacock, and Telemundo.

[05/14/26 - 05:01 PM]
FOX NFL's Loaded 2026 Regular Season Schedule Features Most Windows of Any Network
In Week 10, FOX NFL presents its first tripleheader in over a decade, opening coverage on Sunday, November 15, at 9:30 AM ET with an international game from Munich between the New England Patriots and Detroit Lions.
[05/14/26 - 05:01 PM]
ESPN to Deliver Company's Largest NFL Game Portfolio Ever, Headlined by Top-Tier Matchups on "Monday Night Football" and the International Series on NFL Network
Comprised of "Monday Night Football" and NFL Network, the company will present 28 games during the regular and postseason, plus Super Bowl LXI, marking game 29.
[05/14/26 - 05:01 PM]
"NFL on CBS" Follows Record-Breaking Season with Showstopping 2026 Schedule Led by TV's No. 1 Program
Building on last season's historic viewership and with more than 100 regular-season games, CBS Sports continues to demonstrate the unmatched power and reach of its multiplatform approach across broadcast television and streaming on Paramount+.
[05/14/26 - 05:01 PM]
Prime Video Announces 2026 "Thursday Night Football" Schedule
An exciting mix of cross-divisional games, elite quarterback showdowns, and the first ever NFL regular season game at the Bills' brand-new Highmark Stadium highlight the regular-season slate.