Disney General Entertainment Elevates Charissa Gilmore to Head of Corporate Communications

EXCLUSIVE: Former Disney exec David Levine is exiting kids entertainment powerhouse Moonbug Entertainment, Deadline has learned. The well-liked exec has been Head of Studios since December 2020.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterAlexis Bledel will not return for “The Handmaid’s Tale” Season 5, Variety has learned exclusively.Bledel, who has played the key character of Emily/Ofglen on the Hulu drama since its first season debuted in 2017, said in a statement Friday: “After much thought, I felt I had to step away from ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ at this time. I am forever grateful to Bruce Miller for writing such truthful and resonant scenes for Emily, and to Hulu, MGM, the cast and crew for their support.”During her four-year run on “The Handmaid’s Tale,” Bledel received four Emmy nominations and one win for her performance in the Bruce Miller-created TV adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s iconic novel.Aside from “The Handmaid’s Tale,” Bledel is best known for her starring role as Rory Gilmore alongside Lauren Graham’s Lorelai Gilmore on “Gilmore Girls” and the revival “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life,” as well as her parts in “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” franchise and “Mad Men.” Airing its fourth season from April to June 2021, “The Handmaid’s Tale” follows June (Elisabeth Moss) while she strikes back against Gilead as a fierce rebel leader, but the risks she takes bring unexpected and dangerous new challenges.

An elderly man was arrested after telling developers to 'get off my property', claiming that he owns a former community centre set to be turned into flats.

Warner Bros. Discovery has formally named Nathaniel Brown chief corporate communications officer of the newly merged company.

Nathaniel Brown has been named chief corporate communications officer for Warner Bros. Discovery, the company announced on Tuesday.Brown will be responsible for its global communications operations and media relations, while also serving as lead spokesperson.Brown previously led global corporate communications for Discovery, Inc. as the company’s executive vice president of global communications.

There’s nothing like a bit of controversy to kick off this year’s Cannes Film Festival. And this year, it comes from the mouth of Viggo Mortensen, star of David Cronenberg‘s “Crimes Of The Future,” which has its world premiere in competition next week for the Palme d’Or.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterABC has ordered new primetime “Jeopardy!” spinoff series “Celebrity Jeopardy!” The series is set to premiere as part of the Disney-owned broadcaster’s fall slate, airing alongside “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune” on Sundays.Notably included in the announcement for “Celebrity Jeopardy!,” which came alongside ABC’s reveal of its Fall 2022-2023 schedule Tuesday, was this line: “A host will be announced at a later date.”Craig Erwich says he “wouldn’t read anything into” the inclusion of this bit and the exclusion of Mayim Bialik’s name, as last year she was announced as the host of primetime “Jeopardy!” specials when the now-ousted Mike Richards was chosen as the full-time host. Bialik has been trading off hosting duties with Ken Jennings on the main syndicated series for several months now as the series looks for a permanent full-time replacement for Alex Trebek following his passing.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterABC set its fall 2022 schedule Tuesday, revealing summer staple “Bachelor in Paradise” will be taking over the longtime Monday home of “Dancing With the Stars” as that series moves to Disney+. The “Bachelor” spinoff will also be airing on Tuesdays, marking four full hours of the dating show per week on ABC’s fall primetime slate.Additionally, ABC has ordered “Celebrity Jeopardy!” to pair with “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune” on Sunday nights; given Niecy Nash-Betts’ “Rookie” spinoff the “BiP” lead-out on Tuesdays; swapped in “Abbott Elementary” on the Wednesday fall comedy block; and set Hilary Swank’s new drama “Alaska” as the 10 p.m.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer(SPOLER ALERT: Do not read if you have not yet watched “Starting Over,” the May 16 season finale of “9-1-1.”)“9-1-1” gave its characters a well-deserved break with its Season 5 finale Monday. Almost everyone got a happy ending of sorts, with the exception of Buck (Oliver Stark) and Taylor’s (Megan West) complicated relationship, which came to an end — but that means happier things should come for both of them.The episode, titled “Staring Over,” saw almost everyone doing just that in one way or another, with Bobby (Peter Krause) escaping his almost-relapse thanks to Eddie (Ryan Guzman), Bobby and Athena (Angela Bassett) deciding to take that honeymoon they’ve been waiting many seasons for, Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Chimney (Kenneth Choi) keeping the door open for each other, and Hen (Aisha Hinds) and Karen (Tracie Thoms) getting treated to a beautiful backyard vow renewal by Hen’s mother Toni (Marsha Warfield), who objected to their first wedding.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterMayim Bialik’s “Call Me Kat” has been renewed for a third season by Fox.The multi-cam comedy stars Bialik as Kat, an optimistic and fun-loving woman continuously defying societal expectations, and her mother’s wishes, to prove she can live a happy and fulfilling life on her own terms. Her first move? Using her entire savings to open a cat café in Louisville, KY.Along with Bialik, “Call Me Kat” stars Swoosie Kurtz as Sheila, Leslie Jordan as Phil, Kyla Pratt as Randi, Cheyenne Jackson as Max and Julian Gant as Carter.CLICK HERE to follow Variety’s coverage of Upfronts 2022Based on the British series “Miranda,” “Call Me Kat” is created by Miranda Hart.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterComedy “Pivoting” has been canceled after just one season at Fox, Variety has confirmed.The midseason single-cam sitcom starring Eliza Coupe, Ginnifer Goodwin and Maggie Q, concluded its 10-episode first season March 10.Set in a small, middle-class town in Long Island, NY, “Pivoting” follows close-knit childhood friends Amy (Coupe), Jodie (Goodwin) and Sarah (Q) as they cope with the death of the fourth member of their group. When faced with the reality that life is short, these women pivot, and alter their current paths, by way of a series of impulsive, ill-advised and self-indulgent decisions.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterBrad Wilson, HBO Max’s U.S. general manager and EVP of global data, CRM and growth, is exiting amid an ongoing shakeup at new company Warner Bros.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer“Charmed,” “Dynasty,” “Roswell, New Mexico” and “In the Dark” have been canceled at The CW, Variety has learned.Both “Roswell, New Mexico” and “In the Dark” have already completed filming on their upcoming seasons, and will conclude after those episodes have aired.Also canceled Thursday by the younger-skewing broadcast network were “Naomi” and “4400.”Based on the original WB/CW series of the same name, “Charmed” was currently airing its fourth season. The reboot starred Melonie Diaz, Sarah Jeffery, Lucy Barrett, Rupert Evans and Jordan Donica.

Veteran communications executive Katherine Nelson has been named VP of Corporate Communications for Disney Branded Television.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterNBCUniversal communications vet Katherine Nelson has joined Disney Branded Television in the newly-created role of vice president of corporate communications.In this position, Nelson will be responsible for overall communications strategy in support of the organization’s business and executive team as they ramp up the volume of programming that they create, produce and market for Disney+ and linear networks Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior.Based in Burbank, California, Nelson will have a focus on communications that drive the business and build Disney Branded Television’s brand reputation. She will be responsible for leading both external and internal communications for the organization, driving alignment and integrated messaging around strategy, business operations, brand development and internal culture.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterBrett Weitz is exiting as general manager of TBS, TNT and truTV, Variety has learned.Weitz, who was appointed to the role in January 2019, was among the group of WarnerMedia execs that came over under the new David Zaslav-selected regime at Warner Bros. Discovery, following the close of the WarnerMedia-Discovery merger in early April.Weitz was moved under Discovery lifestyle channels chief Kathleen Finch, who assumed a newly created role of chairman and chief content officer of U.S.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterVice TV’s “Dark Side of the 90’s” returns with its second season next month, featuring new twisted tales from the era. In the Season 2 trailer, which is exclusive to Variety, Mary Jo Buttafuoco breaks down the infamous 1992 incident in which she was shot in the face by Amy Fisher, a teenager that her husband, Joey Buttafuoco, had committed statutory rape against.Labeled by the tabloids as “The Long Island Lolita,” 17-year-old Fisher served seven years on first-degree aggravated assault charges for the attack.

Charissa Gilmore, a Disney veteran of more than 30 years, has been promoted to SVP of Corporate Communications for Disney General Entertainment. This is a title bump for Gilmore who has been leading corporate communications for the unit and will continue to report to Peter Rice, chairman of General Entertainment for The Walt Disney Company.