‘Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed’ Executive Producer on How the Famous Church Became a ‘Cultural Phenomenon’ (EXCLUSIVE)

A new documentary is set to expose an American megachurch that was a hotspot for Christian celebrities including Justin Bieber. After his early rise to fame, Bieber turned to Hillsong New York City (the first American branch of the Australian megachurch) and its senior pastor and co-founder Carl Lentz. He wasn’t the only one to do so, as the church famously helped the likes of Chris Pratt and Selena Gomez too, and Hillsong even had its own record label.

“Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed” is produced by Breaklight Pictures in association with New York Post Entertainment for Discovery+. Post reporter Hannah Frishberg is featured in the documentary.Under celebrity pastor Carl Lentz, international megachurch Hillsong became trendy and influential, garnering splashy profiles in outlets such as GQ, and attracting stars such as Chris Pratt, Kendall Jenner, Nick Jonas and Justin Bieber.But all was not holy.

Wilson Chapman editorAfter a six month search, “Wheel of Fortune” has found a new executive producer in Bellamie Blackstone, who takes the helm of the show as it heads into its  40th anniversary season.Blackstone’s appointment also closes the book on the Mike Richards era of “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy.”A former executive producer of “The Price is Right,” Richards joined both Sony Pictures Entertainment game shows as executive producer in 2020. Last year, he was given the additional job as host of “Jeopardy.” But he parted ways entirely with Sony in August 2021 — only one week into the hosting gig — after reports surfaced about old podcasts in which he made sophomoric and disparaging remarks about Jews and women.

A different approach? While reflecting on Paige DeSorbo and Craig Conover‘s fight about Kristin Cavallari, Andrea Denver discussed how the situation was handled on screen.

Emilio Mayorga Alba Sotorra has teamed with Miramemira’s Andrea Vázquez, Spanish pubcaster TVE and Catalonia’s TVC to co-produce “Sica,” the first fiction feature of documentarist Carla Subirana , a 2012 Málaga Golden Biznaga winner for “Kanimambo” and director of “Nedar.”The film is included in Malaga’s Spanish WIP showcase.The feature focuses on 13-year old Sica who lives on Costa da Morte, a Galician fishing shoreline known for its natural beauty and the danger of its coast. Passionate about the ocean, Sica waits for the waves to bring back the corpse of her father, a fisherman who perished at sea alongside her friend’s Leda.

ABC has taken in for development medical drama The Front Line, executive produced by Michael Strahan and Constance Schwartz-Morini’s SMAC Entertainment, from writer Marc Halsey (The Resident) and ABC Signature.

EXCLUSIVE: Primetime Emmy nominee Kate Mara and The Green Knight filmmaker David Lowery have boarded Shawn Bannon’s feature documentary, The Smell of Money, which centers around Elsie Herring and her North Carolina community as they square off with the multibillion-dollar pork industry, which has been spraying animal waste on their homes and land for decades.

Channing Tatum in 2012's  and his 2015 sequel. That being said, Schwartz said he enjoyed Tatum's films.«I went to see the movie originally and I thought it was a good movie because it put a spotlight on it,» Schwartz said. «I wish it would’ve had more detail of what happened in the club but I guess I’m glad they didn’t because I still want to have that for my television show if I sell it or when I sell it.

Tom Bergeron is not afraid to throw some shade! On Thursday, when a fan asked the former Dancing with the Stars host what he thought about executive producer Andrew Llinares‘ split from the show after five seasons, Tom simply responded, “Karma’s a b**ch

The former host of “Dancing With the Stars” isn’t shedding a tear over his old boss leaving the show.

Not holding back. Tom Bergeron moved on from his time on Dancing With the Stars — but the former host is still willing to spill the tea.

Tom Bergeron is reacting to a recent shake-up. ET has learned that Andrew Llinares is stepping down as executive producer of the ABC show after five seasons.  was first to report this story.

Manori Ravindran International EditorUniversal International Studios has struck a deal with one of the hottest players in Spanish-language programming, Buendía Estudios.Under the deal, the company, whose recent credits include the hit dramas “Cardo” and “Veneno,” will co-develop and co-produce Spanish-language series with Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group. Formed in 2020, Buendía Estudios is a joint venture between Atresmedia and Telefónica’s Movistar Plus, and incorporates the in-house player formerly known as Atresmedia Studios.The company, which is led by CEO Ignacio Corrales, told Variety earlier this year that, in addition to producing for Spain and Latin America, it’s looking to develop projects from the region that are global-facing, in the vein of international Spanish-language triumphs like “Money Heist” and “Velvet.” A slate of around 40 projects across various genres and formats is currently in the works.

It’s not I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here — but it sure is close. CBS on Wednesday debuted Beyond the Edge, a new reality show from Renegade (Naked and Afraid) that drops nine celebrities into the jungles of Panama to compete in challenges while earning cash for their charities (and personal pocketbooks).

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeCBS and the producers behind the network’s new reality series “Beyond the Edge” were bracing for their celebrity cast to mutiny. They even had contingency plans in place, just in case their stars decided to give up in the face of grueling conditions.“I remember in the middle of production, saying on multiple occasions, ‘I can’t believe they’re still out there,’” says CBS alternative series senior VP Mitch Graham. “You never know in a new format, what you’re going to get.

The British Red Cross is looking for volunteers to help raise funds for the increasing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

EXCLUSIVE: Gillian Robespierre (Obvious Child, Landline) and Mathilde Dratwa (Milk and Gall) have been tapped to executive produce and pen the adaptation for Separation Anxiety, a limited series based on Laura Zigman’s bestselling novel, from independent studio wiip. Robespierre also will direct the pilot for the project starring Julianne Nicholson.

EXCLUSIVE: Norman Lear and Brent Miller have boarded Mind Riot Entertainment’s as executive producers through their Act III Productions banner. The series is about journalist, game developer and computer programmer Brianna Wu’s experience as a critic and target of the notorious 2014 online harassment campaign. Gamergate is co-created and co-written by Wu and J. Brad Wilke.