CMT EXPANDS ITS ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING LINE-UP AND BEGINS PRODUCTION ON NEW SERIES
09/06/11
Network Adds Second Night of Original Programming
LOS ANGELES – September 6, 2011 – Fresh off the busiest development cycle in the network’s history, CMT will launch four new series and two returning series this Fall, it was announced today by Jayson Dinsmore, Executive Vice President, Development and Programming, CMT. CMT will also premiere its second CMT Original Movie and new episodes of its music series CMT CROSSROADS and INVITATION ONLY.
Beginning Friday, October 7, CMT will premiere TOP SECRET RECIPE featuring chef Todd Wilbur at 9 p.m. ET/PT and TRICK MY WHAT? with John Schneider at 10 p.m. ET/PT. On Thursday, October 20, CMT will launch a second night of original programming with the return of summer hit SWEET HOME ALABAMA at 9 p.m. ET/PT and the sixth season of DALLAS COWBOYS CHEERLEADERS: MAKING THE TEAM at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Later this Fall, CMT will debut two additional one-hour series, BAYOU BILLIONAIRES and SUMMER RENTAL. All six series are currently in production.
CMT’s second original movie, REEL LOVE, starring LeAnn Rimes and Burt Reynolds, will premiere in November. The network’s music series also make a return with the latest episode of CMT CROSSROADS: STING AND VINCE GILL premiering in November. INVITATION ONLY: TRACE ADKINS premieres Sunday, September 25 at 11 p.m., ET/PT and additional new episodes featuring Martina McBride and Blake Shelton premiere later this Fall.
“This is an exciting time here at CMT, with more original programming in development and production than ever before,” says Dinsmore. “These new series, along with our original movies and music franchises, and the additional night of primetime original programming to our schedule, represent our aggressive growth strategy for this season and beyond. We’re looking forward to elevating the CMT viewer experience with even more compelling stories, intriguing characters and family-friendly entertainment.”
The new crop of shows come on the heels of CMT’s successful summer series, TEXAS WOMEN and SWEET HOME ALABAMA, launched under the leadership of Dinsmore, who joined CMT last February. The two shows contributed to double-digit ratings gains in prime, elevating the female skew of network’s viewers.* A digital win for the network as well, the shows now rank as the top two most-streamed shows in network history. They also contributed to overall growth among social media sites, helping the network recently surpass one million followers across Facebook and Twitter. The success was due in large part to an aggressive interactive strategy that included weekly live chats and original video content.
*Source: Nielsen Media Research, P18-49 Live+SD, 07/14-08/28/11 vs. prior four week 06/13- 07/10/11
Show Descriptions Below:
Top Secret Recipe
Premieres Friday, October 7 at 9:00 p.m., ET/PT
In each one-hour episode of this eight-episode series, food hacker host Todd Wilbur investigates an iconic American recipe and attempts to recreate it better than the original. Through research and numerous rounds of taste-testing, Wilbur does whatever it takes to crack the recipes for foods like KFC and Cinnabon, challenging judges in the ultimate blind taste-test to guess the original product. TOP SECRET RECIPE is produced by 51 Minds Entertainment. Cris Abrego, Rabih Gholam, Todd Wilbur, Perry Rogers, Scott Teti and Melanie Moreau (CMT) serve as executive producers.
Trick My What?
Premieres Friday, October 7 at 10:00 p.m., ET/PT
From the producers of the hit CMT series “Trick My Truck,” comes this new one-hour, nine-episode series hosted by John Schneider that gives blue-collar workers the opportunity to trick out anything with an engine that helps put food on the table for their family. From shrimp boats to combines or logging skidders, Schneider will work to help trick out these lucky laborer's equipment. TRICK MY WHAT? is produced by Varuna Entertainment with Jason Morgan and Melanie Moreau (CMT) serving as executive producers.
Sweet Home Alabama 2
Premieres Thursday, October 20 at 9:00 p.m., ET/PT
Tribble Reese, runner-up on season one of SWEET HOME ALABAMA, has decided to give love another chance, signing on to be the new bachelor on the second season of the hit CMT series. This time, he will be faced with the tough decision of city versus country in the search for his Ms. Right, choosing between girls from all across the country who are heading to Alabama to help mend his broken heart. SWEET HOME ALABAMA, is produced by Glassman Media with executive producers Andrew Glassman, Grant Julian and Carrie Franklin. Claire McCabe and Jayson Dinsmore are executive producers for CMT.
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team 6
Premieres Thursday, October 20 at 10:00 p.m., ET/PT
America’s most-loved cheerleading squad is back as CMT presents an all-new season of DALLAS COWBOYS CHEERLEADERS: MAKING THE TEAM. This season, the competition is as fierce as ever as cameras capture hundreds of hopefuls auditioning and training for a spot on the team.
Back to whip the new recruits and seasoned veterans into top performance shape are Kelli Finglass, director of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders; Judy Trammell, the team choreographer; and Jay Johnson, the no-nonsense fitness trainer. Finglass, Trammell and Johnson test the rookies for the tough physical and mental stamina required to represent the organization. New recruits compete toe-to-toe and learn precision dance routines alongside veteran cheerleaders for a coveted spot in training camp. In the end, only the best will make the squad and earn the privilege to be called a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader. DALLAS COWBOYS CHEERLEADERS: MAKING THE TEAM is produced by Triage Entertainment with executive producers Stu Schreiberg, Stephen Kroopnick, Eugene Pack, Jeff Cvengros and Kelli McGonagill Finglass. Melanie Moreau and Jayson Dinsmore are executive producers for CMT.
Bayou Billionaires
Premieres this Winter
The Dowdens are a typical, hardworking and close-knit family of modest means living in Shreveport, La. After discovering their home sits on the fourth largest deposit of natural gas in the U.S., the Dowdens struck it rich and are now ready to experience the finer things that life has to offer. Led by patriarch, Gerald, and matriarch, Kitten, the 30-minute, 10-episode series follows the family as they experience the perks of belonging to a new tax bracket – from joining country clubs and hiring personal trainers, to traveling to places they never imagined they’d go. BAYOU BILLIONAIRES is produced by Magilla Entertainment. Brian Flanagan, Matt Ostrom, Laura Palumbo Johnson and Brad Johnson serve as executive producers.
Summer Rental
Premieres this Winter
This one-hour, 10-episode series follows a real-life, naturally-entertaining family, born and raised in the South, as they embark on a “fish out of water” experience by visiting a fancy beach rental in the Hamptons for the summer, indulging in the high-end lifestyle of the Upper East Coast and bringing their southern flare to any situation. SUMMER RENTAL is produced by Pink Sneakers. Kimberly Belcher Cowin, John Ehrhard, Brad Johnson and Lewis Bogach (CMT) serve as executive producers.
CMT Original Movies
Reel Love
Premieres November 2011
In CMT’s second CMT Original Movie, LeAnn Rimes stars alongside Burt Reynolds in REEL LOVE. When Holly (LeAnn Rimes) finds out her father Wade (Burt Reynolds) has suffered a heart attack, she drops everything and rushes back to her small Southern lake town to help him. Cantankerous Wade doesn’t want to rest, or take his meds, or eat healthy – all he wants to do is fish. And all Holly wants to do is return home, but what she doesn’t count on is developing an attraction for Jay (Shawn Roberts) -- the new guy in town. Once she gets back into small town living and reconnects with her old friends and the joys of walking around barefoot, she also doesn’t count on seeing her stuffy lawyer boyfriend in a different light…one that makes her realize that perhaps she really doesn’t want all the trappings of a big city life but instead wants the simple joys of a smaller one. Written by Sharon Weil Aaron and directed by Brian K. Roberts (“Eveybody Loves Raymond”). REEL LOVE is an Entertainment One Television production filmed in Toronto, Ontario.
Music Series
CMT Crossroads: Sting and Vince Gill
Premieres November 2011
Together they have earned over 35 Grammys, sold over 125 million albums, and performed in front of as many, if not more, music lovers all over the world. Now world-renowned musician Sting and country legend Vince Gill will be making music history in the newest episode of CMT CROSSROADS: STING AND VINCE GILL, premiering in November on CMT.
Invitation Only
New Episodes this Fall
A departure from the typical concert special, INVITATION ONLY features country music’s biggest stars performing before a small studio audience in Nashville, taking questions from fans and delivering revealing and candid answers. INVITATION ONLY: TRACE ADKINS premieres Sunday, September 25 at 11:00 p.m., ET/PT. New episodes featuring Martina McBride and Blake Shelton premiere later this Fall.
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PRESS CONTACT:
Cindy McLean 615-335-8404 cindy.mclean@cmt.com
