HOLIDAYS AT FOOD NETWORK GET EVEN SWEETER WITH NEW SERIES "HOLIDAY BAKING CHAMPIONSHIP"

Series Premiere Sunday, November 9th at 9:00pm ET/PT on Food Network

New York - October 1, 2014 -From cookie exchanges, to holiday pies, to fruitcakes and gingerbread houses, eight bakers show off their holiday dessert traditions, and superb baking skills as they compete on Food Network's Holiday Baking Championship, premiering Sunday, November 9th at 9:00pm ET/PT. In order to survive this festive competition, hosted by Bobby Deen, contestants must prove their abilities to win a sweet spot in the hearts of judges Duff Goldman (Ace of Cakes), Nancy Fuller (Farmhouse Rules), and Lorraine Pascale (Lorraine's Fast, Fresh and Easy Food). Only one winner will take home the grand prize of $50,000 and the title of Holiday Baking Champion.

"Holiday Baking Championship celebrates the delicious desserts, classic flavors and ingredients of the season that are sure to get viewers in the holiday spirit," said Bob Tuschman, General Manager and Senior Vice President Programming, Food Network. "Bakers will have their skills tested along with their ability to improvise on their family recipes to design the most scrumptious sweets and holiday treats."

In each of the six hour-long episodes, competitors tackle traditional holiday desserts in challenges that are not as easy as a piece of pie. Will the bakers be able to makeover the much-maligned fruitcake? Can they create anything but a pie with a store-bought pie crust? Will they be able to translate their favorite holiday memory into a delectable dessert? On the first episode, the bakers' talents are tested with a cookie challenge. In the pre-heat round, the competitors must open their presents to reveal baking tools that must be used to create the best holiday cookies. One contestant will win a special advantage in the main heat challenge, where they need to make a dozen of three different types of cookies using the classic holiday ingredients - bittersweet chocolate, fresh oranges and toffee bits. They must not let the cookie crumble when curveballs are thrown their way.

Fans can also access all-new recipes, see behind-the-scenes photos and join judge Duff Goldman each week at FoodNetwork.com/BakingChampionship for a special web-exclusive video series featuring fantasy creations based on each episode's theme. Plus, join the baking banter on Twitter using #BakingChampionship.

Bobby Deen has hosted his own series on Cooking Channel, Not My Mama's Meals, reworking the recipes of classic comfort foods to be lighter, leaner and just as delicious, and will soon launch Food Network's upcoming Holiday Baking Championship. Over the years, Bobby, together with his brother, have published four books: The Deen Bros. Cookbook-Recipes From The Road, Y'all Come Eat, Take It Easy, and Get Fired Up. In 2013, Bobby authored his own cookbook entitled, From Mama's Table to Mine, which was #1 on The New York Times Best Seller List. He recently released his second cookbook, Everyday Eats.

Holiday Baking Championship is produced by Triage Entertainment.

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FOOD NETWORK (www.foodnetwork.com) is a unique lifestyle network, website and magazine that connects viewers to the power and joy of food. The network strives to be viewers' best friend in food and is committed to leading by teaching, inspiring, empowering and entertaining through its talent and expertise. Food Network is distributed to more than 100 million U.S. households and up to 35 million unique web users monthly. Since launching in 2009, Food Network Magazine's rate base has grown tenfold and is now the second largest monthly magazine on the newsstand, with over 11.6 million readers. Headquartered in New York, Food Network has a growing international presence with programming in more than 150 countries, including 24-hour networks in the United Kingdom, Asia, and the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. Scripps Networks Interactive (NYSE: SNI), which also owns and operates Cooking Channel (www.cookingchanneltv.com), HGTV (www.hgtv.com), DIY Network (www.diynetwork.com), Travel Channel (www.travelchannel.com) and Great American Country (www.gactv.com), is the manager and general partner.