Linda Rene, CBS Veteran Who Paired Big Brands With ‘Survivor’ and More, Plans to Exit

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor This isn’t a red-carpet film debut or a charity event, but celebrities are still turning out for it. When the Israeli mobile-games company Playtika launches a new series of ad campaigns on the day after Christmas, it will do so with some famous names in tow. Jason Alexander will pitch World Series of Poker in a series of commercials, and Sarah Jessica Parker will play a city girl who gets to enjoy the country life thanks to Solitaire Grand Harvest.

Gordon Ramsay has reunited with his wife Tana and baby son Jesse after spending weeks apart from his family.

a lot of shows out there — but these are the series that managed to hit a home run week after week without any letdowns in their story arcs or performances.A serial killer, a mysterious writer (played by “The Crown’s” Emma Corrin), a sinister billionaire (Clive Owen), the unique setting of a luxury hotel in Iceland and a multi-layered mystery: this Hulu show was full of juicy ingredients, and it used them well. It also mixed prescient big-picture topics (AI, the climate crisis) with more intimate relatable character drama (Corrin’s character, Darcy, having unresolved feelings for her ex-boyfriend, played by rising star Harris Dickinson).

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor The quest for a new way to measure TV audiences has taken years of tests, dozens of efforts to sample upstart technologies and hours of debates among big media companies, Madison Avenue buying firms and blue-chip advertisers. At present, no one seems to have devised a perfect solution. So Byron Allen decided to try.

Gear up, Vanderpump Rules fans… it’s going to be a bumpy 11th season.

Giant toymaker Hasbro is laying off 1,100 employees, following 800 staff cuts announced earlier this year, as CEO Chris Cocks cited a tough business climate that’s been slow to recover. That’s about 20% of the company’s global workforce.

Juventus, Newcastle and Tottenham are all reportedly in the race for Kalvin Phillips, who looks destined for a January exit from Manchester City.

Charlie Dimmock revealed she had 'no regrets' about her controversial affair with co-star during her time one-third presenting Ground Force.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor The audience for NewsNation‘s Wednesday-night Republican primary debate was one of the smallest and the biggest. Nearly 1.6 million tuned in to the Nexstar-backed upstart cable-news outlet to watch two former Republican governors, one current one and one outlier tangle for attention and donors in a debate moderated by Elizabeth Vargas, Megyn Kelly and Eliana Johnson, with more than 2.5 million choosing to watch a simulcast on the CW broadcast network, a corporate sibling.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Disney wants to get into the Brittney Griner business. The inspirational WNBA All-Star, who was arrested and held in Russia in 2022 and sentenced to nine years in prison, will give Disney the exclusive rights to share her story via a documentary feature from ESPN Films, the development of a scripted series through ABC Signature and an exclusive interview with ABC News anchor Robin Roberts.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Advertisers have eyed the Disney+ streaming hub as a place where they might tuck a promotional message alongside the binge-watch of a Marvel series, or, potentially “Phineas & Ferb.” Soon, however, Madison Avenue may have some other opportunities to consider. Disney is mulling the launch of shopping and gaming experiences on the streaming outlet, with which advertisers could get involved, according to Rita Ferro, president of Disney Advertising Sales. “The world of advertising experiences on AVOD is an important place to be involved in,” Ferro tells Variety, hinting that a new presentation Disney has slated for Las Vegas on Jan.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Justine Triet‘s “Anatomy of a Fall” missed out on being chosen as France’s Oscar entry, but the movie has been a critical and commercial hit — including in the U.S., where it’s become the highest-grossing specialized foreign-language release post-pandemic, according to distributor Neon. Released in the States on Oct. 13, “Anatomy of a Fall” has pulled in $3.5 million so far, putting it ahead of Joachim Trier’s “The Worst Person in the World” and on track to match last year’s Palme d’Or winner “Triangle of Sadness,” another Neon movie.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Starting next year, major marketers such as Geico or General Mills could find themselves running commercials alongside popular Amazon programs like “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” or “Jack Ryan” that were previously untouched by advertising.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Desi Lydic, who has gained notice during her recent tenure as one of the correspondents at Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” has signed with Artists First, the talent-management firm known for its stable of comic actors. Lydic joined “The Daily Show” as a correspondent in September 2015, just as Trevor Noah started his tenure as host.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Even a personality as well-known as Dr. Phil McGraw needs a little faith to get by when it comes to launching a new TV venture.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Telemundo has a new leader after its current chairman, Beau Ferrari was made a strategic advisor to the executive who has oversight for both news and Spanish-language programming at parent company NBCUniversal. Luis Fernandez, who retired from Telemundo in 2021, will return to the large NBCU unit. Meanwhile, Ferrari was named an advisor to Cesar Conde, the chairman of NBCUniversal News Group.

King Charles has jetted back to the UK to conduct emergency discussions with Prince William and Kate Middleton over royal racism claims which emerged in Omid Scobie's 'Endgame'.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor NASCAR joined the various sports leagues racing into the future by striking a new rights deal with Amazon‘s Prime Video that will put the auto sports organizer into the world of streaming. Amazon’s Prime Video will split a group of ten races with Warner Bros.

After a decade away, last week, Girls Aloud finally announced their reunion. The tour, known as the Girls Aloud Show will see the biggest-selling girl group of the 21st century play 15 dates across the UK and Ireland next May and June 2024.

Chelsea left-back Ian Maatsen would be 'very keen' on the prospect of sealing a move to Manchester City.