E! REUPS JOEL MCHALE THROUGH 2014

Comedian Will Remain Host of The Soup, Develop New Projects, With E! Getting First-Look Rights

Los Angeles, CA - October 1, 2012 - E! Entertainment has renewed its deal with The Soup host Joel McHale, keeping the actor/comedian as host of the weekly topical comedy show through Dec. 31, 2014. In addition, E! is backing McHale in a production development deal that will give the network first look at any ideas or program concepts from McHale and his team.

"Joel McHale is a one-of-a-kind talent with a unique perspective and a great rapport with the audience on The Soup," said Suzanne Kolb, President of E! Entertainment. "With E! constantly looking for new shows that celebrate a pop of culture, we're very excited to see what new ideas Joel develops."

"Although this derails my plans to be a replacement ref in the NFL, I'm thrilled to be continuing The Soup for two more years especially now with the emergence of Honey Boo Boo Child. One can't just sit by," Joel McHale said of the expanded deal. "I'm also excited about the production deal with E! I'm hoping to make shows that I can make fun of on The Soup. This way we'll never be short of clips to show."

Producer Jason Burns (E!'s Kendra, the feature The House Bunny) is joining McHale's new company as a development executive.

The Soup is a weekly satirical look at reality television and all of pop culture, airing at 10 p.m. ET/PT Wednesdays on E! Equipped with his sharp wit, eye for bad reality television and ability to make every awkward TV moment hysterically epic, Joel McHale brings The Soup viewers the most outrageous clips from the boob-tube, complete with plenty of commentary of his own. In November 2011, "The Soup" launched a roster of new digital destinations, including an all-new website (thesouptv.com) and a new "The Soup" mobile app for iPhone and Android smartphones.