or


[10/27/14 - 02:38 PM]
Neil Patrick Harris to Host New NBC Variety Series from ITV Studios America
NBC has ordered 10 episodes of the series, based on the U.K. format "Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway," all of which will be filmed in front of a live audience.

[via press release from NBC]

NEIL PATRICK HARRIS TO HOST NEW NBC VARIETY SERIES FROM ITV STUDIOS AMERICA

Based on the Popular U.K. Series 'Takeaway,' the Hourlong Show Features Comedy Sketches, Game Show Elements, Hidden Camera Pranks and A-List Stars

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - Oct. 27, 2014 - Bringing five-time Emmy Award winner Neil Patrick Harris to the network, NBC has ordered a new primetime variety series based on the hugely popular U.K. format "Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway," which was created by ITV Studios, Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly. The series is an institution in the U.K., winning multiple awards, including two prestigious BAFTA's in 2014.

Harris, who has served as an Emmy and Tony Award host and was recently announced as host of the 2015 Academy Awards, will bring his multi-dimensional skills to the forefront of this new hourlong series.

NBC's new variety series will feature comedy sketches, musical numbers, mini game shows, hidden camera pranks on celebrities and appearances by A-list stars, based on ITV's U.K. format, "Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway."

NBC has ordered 10 episodes from ITV Studios America, all of which will be filmed in front of a live audience. Neither an official title nor air date has been set.

"As I watched the show, I couldn't stop smiling. Now that I've seen many seasons, my face hurts. It's a game changer," said Harris. "Nothing like this has been done before, and its unique structure fits right into my random skill set. I can't wait to roll up my sleeves and have some fun!"

"All of us here at NBC have been dying to work with Neil, as we've watched him brilliantly host the Tonys and Emmys," said Paul Telegdy, President, Alternative and Late Night Programming, NBC Entertainment. "This series will suit his extraordinary talents perfectly. He is a versatile and thrilling talent for us to welcome into the NBC family."

"The 'Saturday Night Takeaway' format is already popular in many countries, including the U.K., Germany, Portugal, Italy and Belgium. We are delighted that its expansion to the U.S. includes the multi-talented star Neil Patrick Harris," said Paul Buccieri, Chairman, ITV Studios U.S. Group and Global Entertainment.

Orly Adelson, President, ITV Studios America, added, "We are excited to be launching this series with NBC as the series represents the perfect marriage of an incredible talent with the right format to create the ultimate variety show."

Harris currently co-stars in David Fincher's "Gone Girl." He recently finished a run on Broadway as the lead in "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," for which he won a Tony Award for best actor in a musical. For nine seasons played the role of Barney Stinson on "How I Met Your Mother," for which he received four Emmy and two Golden Globe nominations.

The series will be produced by ITV Studios America. Neil Patrick Harris, Orly Adelson, Siobhan Greene and U.K. hosts Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly will serve as executive producers. The deal was brokered by CAA and WME.

The "Saturday Night Takeaway" format is distributed internationally by ITV Studios Global Entertainment.

About ITV Studios America:

ITV Studios America, the U.S. based production entity of ITV Studios in the U.K., is one of the largest producers in the U.S. and a major force in acquiring, developing and producing non-scripted and scripted programming for U.S. networks. It has a slate of series with major networks and syndicators, including Texas Rising, The Good Witch, Hell's Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, The First 48, After the First 48, #RichKids of Beverly Hills, Cesar 911, The Chase, Four Weddings, Rocky Mountain Bounty Hunters, The Car Chasers, The Bill Cunningham Show and America Now.

ITV Studios is a world leader in television production and distribution. It has international production centers in the UK, Germany, France, the Nordics and Australia as well as America. The distribution business, ITV Studios Global Entertainment, is a distributor of programs to all regions worldwide. For further information visit: http://www.itvstudios.com/us.





  [october 2014]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
   


· BEST TIME EVER WITH NEIL PATRICK HARRIS (NBC)





[10/08/25 - 12:00 PM]
FOX Entertainment Studios and HarperCollins Publishers Form Strategic Reciprocal First-Look Development Deal
Together, the companies will create a powerful, ongoing content pipeline that flows seamlessly between book and screen.

[10/08/25 - 11:44 AM]
Paramount+ Greenlights Season Two of Showtime Original Series "Dexter: Resurrection"
The series has been greenlit for season two with the writers' room now open.

[10/08/25 - 11:00 AM]
ESPN Reveals Slam Dunk 2025-26 SEC Women's Basketball Schedule
As the women's basketball season draws near, ESPN and the SEC have announced the 2025-26 network designations, with more than 100 linear games across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network and the all new ESPN app.

[10/08/25 - 10:47 AM]
"The Girlfriend" Has Been Watched by Over 25 Million Viewers Worldwide
Amazon MGM Studios touted the news on social media this morning.

[10/08/25 - 10:12 AM]
Video: Two-Time Emmy Nominated "Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr." Celebrates Upcoming Season 12 with Series Trailer
20 new celebrity guests will sit down with Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. to learn about their genealogical history and the journeys of their ancestors dating back hundreds of years when the series returns January 6 on PBS.

[10/08/25 - 10:01 AM]
Video: "I Love LA" - Official Trailer - HBO Max
Rachel Sennott's new HBO original series streams November 2 on HBO Max.

[10/08/25 - 09:31 AM]
HBO Documentary Films Joins Production of Earth, Wind & Fire Project Directed by Academy Award and Grammy Winner Questlove
The film examines the iconic group's lasting legacy, cultural impact, and enduring body of work, and features exclusive access to the band's archives of visual, audio, and written material.

[10/08/25 - 09:28 AM]
Paramount+ Officially Greenlights and Announces 2026 Start of Production for "9/12," A Six-Part Limited Series with Emmy and Tony Award Winner and Oscar Nominee Jeremy Strong Set to Star and Executive Produce
Produced by Paramount Television Studios and SISTER, production is set to begin in the summer of 2026 and the series will launch globally on Paramount+ in 2027.

[10/08/25 - 09:05 AM]
Food Network Will Deliver More Than 50 Hours Of Holiday Programming This Year Including New Seasonal Spin-off "Tournament of Champions: All-Star Christmas," and "Sweet Empire"
The holidays begin with the return of "Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking" on Sunday, November 2 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

[10/08/25 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "The Bad Guys: Breaking In" New Series Trailer - Netflix Family
How did the Bad Guys break into the bad guy business in the first place? Find out in this hilarious prequel series set before the hit films.

[10/08/25 - 09:00 AM]
Danny Trejo Returns for Season 2 of "Mysteries Unearthed with Danny Trejo" Premiering Nov. 11 on The History Channel
Mysteries can be buried anywhere - under the earth, beneath the sea, or even right under our own feet.

[10/08/25 - 09:00 AM]
Video: Prime Video Releases the Official Trailer and Key Art for "Allen Iv3rson"
Directed by One9, the documentary will premiere exclusively on Prime Video on October 23 in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide and is the latest addition to the Prime membership.

[10/08/25 - 08:39 AM]
Video: "40 Acres" - Trailer - Hulu
After a series of plagues and wars leaves society in ruins, the Freemans are surviving - even thriving - on a farm in the middle of nowhere... so long as they repel the occasional raiding party.

[10/08/25 - 08:31 AM]
Video: "Train Dreams" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Based on the novella of the same name, "Train Dreams" is the portrait of Robert Grainier, a logger and railroad worker who leads a life of unexpected depth and beauty in the rapidly changing America of the early 20th Century.

[10/08/25 - 08:01 AM]
Video: Date, Key Art, Trailer Debut - Hulu Original Series "All's Fair" (Premieres November 4th)
The series stars Kim Kardashian, Naomi Watts, Niecy Nash-Betts, Teyana Taylor, Matthew Noszka with Sarah Paulson and Glenn Close.