Discovery Channel Boss Howard Lee Reveals New Programming Slate: More Blood, More Sweat and Many More Tears (EXCLUSIVE)

For over twenty years, Irish actor Allen Leech has been delighting audiences with his phenomenal performance skills and stellar on-screen presence, with the much loved star dabbling in everything from period dramas to Oscar winning movies throughout his impressive career. But while most of us will know him best for playing Tom Branson in Downton Abbey, or his memorable turn as Paul Prenter in Bohemian Rhapsody, this week fans will be able to catch Allen in a brand new drama for Channel 5, called Too Good To Be True.

Rainn Wilson‘s desire to start a spiritual revolution in Hollywood and beyond to Hilary Swank‘s latest film “Ordinary Angels,” and a first look at the Amazon Prime Video series “The Baxters” the Variety Spirituality in Entertainment Breakfast, presented by FAMI, explored representations of faith and spirituality throughout media. Tuesday’s event, held at the Los Angeles London hotel, featured five in-depth conversations that dove into varied perspectives on the role of spirituality in entertainment and how industry leaders find inspiration from meditation to a whale’s song.

As the Grammys approached, you could feel the excitement building! It was the night where the music industry came together to celebrate talent, creativity, and, of course, style. There was one crucial aspect of rehearsals, fittings, and last-minute preparations that often get overlooked: self-care. Today, we’re going to spill the tea on how to prepare for the Grammys or any Hollywood event by staying hydrated and embracing the right wellness trends for that red carpet glow.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Katy Perry caused a bit of a Firework on Monday night, revealing on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” that this upcoming season of “American Idol” will be her last one as a judge. Perry was a guest on Monday night’s “Kimmel.” When the host asked Perry how much longer she would stick with “Idol” — she’s been on the show for seven seasons, ever since it moved to ABC in 2018 — the singer said she was plotting her exit after this upcoming season.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Tyler Perry is expanding his deal with Netflix, adding TV series to the mix. Netflix announced Monday that it had added a multi-year, first-look series pact with Perry to the previous feature film pact he sealed in October with the streamer. As part of the expanded relationship with Netflix, Perry is developing the 16-episode hour-long drama “Beauty in Black,” which he will write, direct and executive produce.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large It’s a semi-annual tradition during the PBS executive session at the Television Critics Assn.: Asking president/CEO Paula Kerger about the state of funding for the public broadcaster. And so it went on Monday, during the public broadcaster’s portion of the winter 2024 press tour — and despite the ongoing gridlock in Washington, Kerger said things, at least for now, are going “OK.” “We are advanced funded, and that we always have been,” Kerger told reporters. “And the idea behind it is that you need to know that when you finish a project, you’re going to actually have the funds for it.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Deaf artists Anjel Piñero, Shaheem Sanchez and Daniel Durant were set to perform ASL during this year’s Super Bowl — but viewers watching the CBS telecast may not have actually seen them on air. That’s according to Oscar winner and Deaf actor Marlee Matlin, who expressed her frustration with the network on social media. “I am absolutely SHOCKED at CBS for introducing the Deaf performers at today’s pregame #SuperBowl and then not showing even one second (or more) of their performance… as has been tradition for the last 30 years.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large The 76th Emmy Awards have been given an official airdate: Sunday, Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m.

Award-winning dramatist Jez Butterworth has revealed that his new play is part-inspired by his encounters with disgraced mogul Harvey Weinstein.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Peak TV has finally peaked. At FX‘s portion of the Television Critics Assn. press tour on Friday, chairman John Landgraf revealed his research team’s annual tally of adult original scripted series across U.S.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Media talent discovery app Husslup has moved from invite-only beta phase to a public launch of its service. The app, which allows allows media industry users a database to find above- and below-the-line freelancers for hire, has also introduced a demographic report of hires for companies to achieve their diversity goals.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Comedian Bert Kreischer is sticking with Netflix, signing with the streamer to film two more stand-up comedy specials. This reps the fourth and fifth specials for Kreischer at Netflix, following “Razzle Dazzle” (2023), “Hey Big Boy” (2020), and “Secret Time” (2018). The first of the two specials will be filmed by Kreischer at the Mahaffey Theater in St.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large TV promo firm Planet 365 has created a new service dubbed “Brandit247” and targeted at local TV stations with limited marketing departments and resources. The marketing content would be tailored for the station, which can then insert footage of its on-air team and other local elements.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large James Corden’s new SiriusXM interview series “This Life of Mine with James Corden” will launch Feb. 1 on a new channel dubbed “Stars” (Channel 109), as well as on the satcaster’s app. SiriusXM was set to announce the premiere date on Thursday, along with the inaugural list of guests: Martin Scorsese, Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Tom Ford, Jeremy Renner, David Beckham, Billy Porter, Julianne Moore and Odell Beckham Jr.

Variety’s Angelique Jackson at the Sundance Film Festival as a part of Adobe’s Fireside Chats with Changemakers in Film. Watch all three conversations below: Andra Day and Kyle Bowser, Senior Vice President of NAACP Hollywood Bureau “I’ve been hearing this thing in the past few years about no more slave stories, no more past and all this stuff, and no more Black pain porn. And I don’t like the term because I think it boils it down.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Channing Dungey first joined Warner Bros. TV Group as chairman in late 2020 — right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, which made for an interesting first year on the job. Then came the Warner Media-Discovery merger in 2022, and the restructuring that came with it.

Elizabeth Taylor “Big Little Lies” Season 3 is coming along nicely. “We’re at work on it,” Nicole Kidman told Variety Sunday night at the New York premiere of her new series “Expats.” Kidman says she and Reese Witherspoon are “texting every day” about the third season. “And there’s a timeline and we’re doing it.” She laughed when asked for more details.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large SPOILER ALERT: This article discusses plot points in Episode 2 of “True Detective: Night Country,” titled “Part 2.” One of Liz Danvers’ favorite sayings its “shit bowl.” And the case of the eight missing men from an Alaska research station — and how it relates to the earlier murder of Native midwife and activist Annie Kowtok — is an absolute “shit bowl.” “True Detective: Night Country” is slowly peeling back details behind the show’s Season 4 mystery, and in Episode 2, there’s one name that rocketed to the top of the list of suspects. In last week’s premiere, viewers were introduced to Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) and Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis), two law enforcement officers in the fictional mining town of Ennis, Alaska. The duo aren’t exactly pals, as Navarro believes Danvers dropped the ball in investigating the murder of Annie.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large “KCET” is infinitely no more. Well, sort of. The Los Angeles-based public broadcaster still exists, and “KCET” remains its legal call letters.

Ben Croll Noé Debré, the co-writer of “Dheepan” and “Stillwater” and creator of the European Parliament sendup series “Parlement,” marks his feature directorial debut with the bittersweet comedy “A Good Jewish Boy.” Produced by Moonshaker, sold by Charades and making its world market premiere at this year’s Unifrance Rendez-Vous in Paris, the freewheeling film follows a 27-year-old man-child Bellisha (Michael Zindel) and his ailing mother, Giselle (Agnès Jaoui), who together make up the last remaining Jews living in a working class neighborhood that all of their friends and family have long since fled. At first that’s just as well for the easy-going Bellisha, but health concerns, prejudice and most of all an acute sense of alienation soon begin to creep in.