REELZ 2015 SLATE PACKED WITH NEW AND RETURNING ORIGINAL SERIES
Season Three of Hit Series "Hollywood Hillbillies" Premieres Saturday, April 11 at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT
"Polka Kings" Premieres Saturday, April 11 at 9:30pm ET/ 6:30pm PT
"Branson Taxi" Premieres Saturday, June 6 at 9:30pm ET/ 6:30pm PT
Network Orders 104 Episodes of New Original Celebrity Biography Series "Celebrated"
(Pasadena, CA) Tuesday, January 13, 2015 - REELZ today unveiled highlights to its 2015 slate anchored by TMZ Hollywood Sports and powerful factual reality series bringing real stories that connect with Hollywood and celebrity. At the heart of the 2015 lineup is weekday original series TMZ Hollywood Sports which has become the go-to destination on the dial as the only source for an exclusive look at the wild, off-the-field world where athletes and celebrities come together. Last September REELZ announced its partnership with one of the most well-known brands and people in the business, TMZ and founder Harvey Levin, to launch TMZ Hollywood Sports.
"Harvey Levin is a legend and we're proud of our partnership with TMZ and him," said Stan E. Hubbard, CEO of REELZ. "What Evan Rosenblum and the rest of the TMZ team bring to REELZ every day is the extraordinary, fun and always surprising worlds of Hollywood, celebrity and sports coming together for the benefit of our viewers."
Kicking off 2015 on REELZ is the premiere of previously announced new episodes of Beverly Hills Pawn on Saturday, January 17 at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT with master businessman and store owner Yossi Dina's extraordinary pawn shop where he along with his loyal team of Dominique, Aria and Cory delve into the wonder and shocking values of Hollywood memorabilia, high-dollar collectibles, fine jewelry and amazing stories and aspirations that drive it all. The new season starts with a million dollar transaction that has personal meaning for Yossi.
Spring 2015 marks the season three premiere of hit reality series Hollywood Hillbillies on Saturday, April 11 at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT with America's favorite rural family coming back for more hilarious and heartwarming adventures around Hollywood and show business. This season includes the highly-anticipated wedding of Dee Dee and Paul.
Immediately following the Hollywood Hillbillies season three premiere on Saturday, April 11 is the series premiere of the truly unique original series Polka Kings at 9:30pm ET/ 6:30pm PT. Polka Kings presents the incredible journey of The Chardon Polka Band in their foot-tapping quest to achieve mainstream status while bringing polka to the masses with a modern twist to the happiest music on earth. Summer sizzles on Saturday, June 6 in reality docuseries Branson Taxi where the entertainment capital of middle America, Branson, Missouri, serves as the backdrop to the drama, fun and absurdity behind the town's cab company kingpin and his family run business.
More original productions lined up for 2015 include a 104 episode order of Celebrated - a new, half-hour original celebrity biography series exclusive to REELZ. Celebrated highlights the careers of the world's biggest stars and chronicles the dizzying heights of stardom as well as the personal pitfalls of fame. Russell Crowe, Angelina Jolie, Robert Downey Jr., Matthew McConaughey, Halle Berry, Scarlett Johansson, and Gwyneth Paltrow among many others will all be featured in upcoming episodes. Celebrated will join an already robust weekday lineup which includes the only live national airing of Access Hollywood Live at 11am ET/ 8am PT.
Mr. Hubbard also announced an expanding commitment to the network's factual entertainment programming by adding more new episodes of viewer favorites including the documentary series Autopsy: The Last Hours of... where fact and fiction are forever separated through the reconstruction and recounting of the last 24 hours in a celebrity's life, Celebrity Damage Control and Celebrity Legacies. In Celebrity Damage Control viewers see how Tinseltown's brightest stars manage to claw their way back onto the big screen after being busted by the law while Celebrity Legacies gives an inside look at the drama that unfolds after a famous death and the business that continues even after the star is gone. When it comes to celebrity legacies, all is fair in love and war... over huge inheritances.
Additionally, Mr. Hubbard said that the network is proud to continue to be the home of the Movieguide(R) Faith & Values Awards. REELZ will air the 23rd Annual Movieguide(R) Faith & Values Awards with host Bill Engvall on Saturday, February 21 at 7pm ET/ 4pm PT.
On the network's horizon for 2015 is the start of production for the previously announced new, original four-hour miniseries The Kennedys-After Camelot. The miniseries is based on the New York Times best seller, After Camelot: A Personal History of the Kennedy Family 1968 to the Present, by best-selling Author and Biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli. Katie Holmes, who starred as Jackie Kennedy in the Emmy Award-winning The Kennedys, will reprise her role as Jackie O in the new miniseries. Ms. Holmes will also direct one of the four episodes of the miniseries and serve as an executive producer. The Kennedys-After Camelot reunites REELZ with many from the very talented production team behind The Kennedys that includes Muse Entertainment, Asylum Entertainment, Director Jon Cassar (who won the DGA award for the miniseries) and writer Stephen Kronish. Cassar will direct the other three episodes of The Kennedys-After Camelot and Kronish will write three episodes. The Kennedys-After Camelot is slated to premiere in 2016.
Hollywood Hillbillies- Season Three Premiere Saturday, April 11 at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT
America's favorite hillbilly family is back with Michael, his fierce but loving grandma Mema, aunt Dee Dee and her fiancé Paul and uncle John who traded in their simple country living in rural Georgia for the bright lights of Hollywood. In season three, Michael gets down and dirty with his budding showbiz career while he and the family take hilarious and heartwarming trips around town. From working as staff on Nicole Eggert's ice cream truck and Mema's energy drink deal to earthquake preparedness drills and Michael's first headliner gig, the family's adventures take viewers on a wild ride across 'Hollyweird'. Hollywood Hillbillies is produced by Asylum Entertainment.
Polka Kings- Series Premiere Saturday, April 11 at 9:30pm ET/ 6:30pm PT
Polka Kings shows the incredible journey The Chardon Polka Band embarks upon as they try to survive each other and keep their personal and professional lives from derailing their quest for stardom. The group is always finding themselves in crazy situations ranging from private parties in nursing homes, Ukrainian summer camps to the Duct Tape Festival in Avon, Ohio. Each week Polka Kings follows the dynamic group's attempts to break through and achieve mainstream status. Polka Kings is produced by High Noon Entertainment with Jim Berger, Scott Feeley, Patrick Jager and Ross McCall serving as Executive Producers.
Branson Taxi- Series Premiere Saturday, June 6 at 9:30pm ET/ 6:30pm PT
In Branson, Missouri life is about loving your family, having good times and making boatloads of money. Branson cab king Scott Thompson excels at all three. In Branson Taxi, viewers go inside Scott's family-run cab monopoly in Branson where the egos and demands equal those of New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. But Branson is a place where flash isn't coveted and people don't put up with divas and Scott's team of Ozark-bearded hillbillies and blue-eyed beauties know how to respond. Among them are Scott's young daughter Jade, dispatch manager Karen, smoky shop foreman Tom, pirate-hat-wearing cab mechanic Rusty, Ad Sales and Marketing experts Tessa and Dawnell and their wacky group of drivers Jeff, Steve and Bobby. But mixing family, friends and Branson's booming tourism industry makes for a shaky ride and keeps Scott and his team working around the clock to keep the competition at bay and passengers happy. Branson Taxi is produced by High Noon Entertainment with Jim Berger, Scott Feeley and Patrick Jager serving as Executive Producers.
Celebrated
Celebrated is a new, half-hour original celebrity biography series highlighting the careers of the world's favorite and most famous stars. Never-before-seen footage, social media driven tags and pop-up infographics create a unique and interactive experience for celebrity obsessed viewers. Celebrated chronicles the dizzying heights of stardom as well as the personal pitfalls of fame - granting viewers access to their favorite stars like never before. Every episode includes rare interview clips, exclusive red carpet footage and behind-the-scenes tidbits. Upcoming episodes of Celebrated will focus on Russell Crowe, Angelina Jolie, Robert Downey Jr., Matthew McConaughey, Halle Berry, Scarlett Johansson, and Gwyneth Paltrow among others. Celebrated is produced by Reboot TV and executive produced by Brian O'Shea and Jeff Bowler from The Exchange.
23rd Annual Movieguide(R) Faith & Values Awards- Premieres Saturday, February 21 at 7pm ET/ 4pm PT
The Movieguide(R) Faith & Values Awards will return to REELZ for the second consecutive year with host Bill Engvall. The Movieguide(R) Awards recognizes and honors faith, family and values-based movies and television programming. This year's awards gala boasts appearances by Korie and Sadie Robertson (Duck Dynasty) as well as performances by Grammy(R) Award-nominated Christian rapper Lecrae, brother and sister gospel duo CeCe and Marvin Winans, 10-time Grammy Award-winning a cappella group Take 6 and American vocalist Tata Vega. Viewers have an additional chance to watch the 23rd Annual Movieguide(R) Faith & Values Awards on Oscar(R) Day, Sunday, February 22 at 12am ET/ 9pm PT.
Autopsy: The Last Hours of...
Celebrity fact and fiction are forever separated as Autopsy: The Last Hours of... reveals the truth behind the controversial deaths of some of the most famous celebrities. The sudden and tragic passing of these global mega-stars sent the world into a frenzy fuelled by hearsay and rumor. Now crucial medical evidence gained from the actual autopsies explains what killed the stars and reveals how they died, finally putting an end to the speculation. Interviews with friends and family shed light on the decisions that set them on the path towards their deaths, and by combining medical fact with personal revelation Autopsy: The Last Hours of... investigates not only the untimely deaths but also the extraordinary lives of these global icons. In new episodes Dr. Richard Shepherd will investigate the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson, River Phoenix, Robin Williams. Autopsy: The Last Hours of... is produced by Potato, part of ITV Studios.
Celebrity Damage Control
One minute they're posing for the press - the next they're running from the spotlight. Celebrity Damage Control is an hour-long factual series about celebrities who were caught committing crime or something just plain wrong and embarrassing yet managed to survive the scandal with careers intact and in some cases even flourishing afterward. From driving under the influence, to shoplifting, to tax evasion, to beating up the paparazzi, or being the victim of an embarrassing blackmail scam, Celebrity Damage Control unveils Hollywood's most notorious celebrity scandals and reveals what celebrities did to survive the upheaval. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Paula Deen, Wesley Snipes, Winona Ryder and many more have all had a brush with the law and Celebrity Damage Control examines every case with commentary from public relations agents, pop culture experts and lawyers to find out why celebrities are forgiven and deemed innocent by the public - even if proven guilty. Celebrity Damage Control is produced by CMJ Productions.
Celebrity Legacies
Can someone actually become wealthier after they die? In this revealing hour-long factual series viewers will find out how rich the famous actually were when they died and the surprising fortunes being made years after they're gone. Celebrity Legacies gives the full story on who tried to lay claim to the inheritance and who finally got it. Plus, which celebrities lived lavishly but passed on penniless and who inherited their debts? Celebrity Legacies also looks at how some celebrity's fortunes have grown since they passed and how some are still making the highest-paid lists years after their death. Celebrity Legacies will explore the stories and estates of Heath Ledger, Princess Diana, Marilyn Monroe and Marlon Brando among others. Celebrity Legacies is produced by CMJ Productions.
About REELZCHANNEL - Hollywood Happens Here(TM)
REELZ is a leading independent cable and satellite general entertainment network, connecting its viewers across America with the magic, wonder and excitement of Hollywood wherever it happens. The network is home to cutting-edge factual entertainment and reality programs, compelling television events, miniseries, movies and series featuring big stories and big stars. Programming ranges from the critically-acclaimed and award-winning The Kennedys to Hollywood Hillbillies, TMZ Hollywood Sports, Beverly Hills Pawn, OK! TV, Hollywood Scandals and much more that connects directly to the world of entertainment. REELZ also showcases top movie and entertainment experts Leonard Maltin and Richard Roeper who provide specific on-air recommendations for movies viewers can watch at home.
REELZ reaches 70 million homes on DIRECTV channel 238, Dish Network channel 299, Verizon FiOS TV channel 233, AT&T U-verse channels 799/1799HD and cable systems nationwide. Find REELZ in your area by entering your zip code at www.reelz.com/watch. REELZ is a High-Definition network and if a cable or satellite provider doesn't carry it that way, we encourage viewers to call and ask for REELZ in HD. Owned by Hubbard Media Group, REELZ is headquartered in Albuquerque, NM with national ad sales based in New York City with offices in Boston and Chicago. As one of the last truly independent television networks remaining in today's media landscape REELZ has created the Independence Happens Here(TM) website to help keep free thought and innovation alive by highlighting the importance of independent businesses. The website can be found at http://IndependenceHappensHere.com
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