Mike Darnell Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

David McGuire, EVP of Programming & Development for Telepictures, subsidiary of Warner Bros. Television Group, is exiting after more than 30 years with the company.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Telepictures exec VP of programming and development David McGuire, one of the architects behind the success of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” is exiting the Warner Bros. TV Group division after more than 30 years with the company. McGuire’s exit comes following the departure of Warner Bros. Unscripted TV president Mike Darnell, and a restructuring inside the company. As part of the changes, Telepictures current programming senior VP Lauren Blincoe will now solely oversee the division and report directly to Warner Bros. TV Group chairman and CEO Channing Dungey. McGuire most recently was in charge of the launch of “The Jennifer Hudson Show.” His oversight included all aspects of creative affairs for first-run syndicated series, unscripted series and digital content developed and produced at Telepictures, as well as working with advertisers on partnerships through its integration business. Annually, Telepictures handles more than 1,000 hours of TV across multiple genres.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large The dark prince of the unscripted world is plotting his next chapter: Mike Darnell is exiting Warner Bros. Television Group after a decade with the studio, a move he decided to make after a restructuring would have altered his role at the company. Darnell, who had served as president of unscripted television for Warner Bros., and Warner Bros. Television Group chairman/CEO Channing Dungey were set to announce the change on Thursday. As part of the new structure, Darnell won’t be replaced; instead, the alternative and unscripted divisions that reported to Darnell will now report directly to Dungey. Darnell had a year left in his current contract with the studio.

Mike Darnell, the preeminent — and most colorful — unscripted TV executive over the past couple of decades, will be leaving his post as President Of Unscripted Television for Warner Bros. after 10 years at the studio.

McKinley Franklin editor Max has revealed the rollout plans for its four original documentary specials narrated by Morgan Freeman in honor of Warner Bros.’ 100th anniversary.  The first two specials will make their debut at Cannes on May 24 as 2023 Official Cannes Classics Selections, followed by a May 25 debut on Max. The remaining two specials will be available to stream on Max on June 1.  The “100 Years of Warner Bros.” docuseries pays homage to the output of Warner Bros. over the past century. Featuring interviews with directors, actors, executives, journalists and historians, the specials highlight everything from the studios’ early beginnings to its presence in the modern day. 

EXCLUSIVE: CBS is trying its hand at a game of Mexican bingo in its latest unscripted order.

EXCLUSIVE: Simon Andreae has resigned as the Chief Executive of Fremantle UK with immediate effect, Deadline can reveal.

Extra will officially be back for its 30th season.

Peacock has picked up a second season of Paris in Love docuseries for premiere later this year. A launch date is TBA.

Kevin Fortson, the Executive Vice President of Production & Administration for Warner Bros. Unscripted Television, will retire this summer after three decades with the studio. 

Simon Cowell wasn’t always the mean judge character he played on American Idol.

NBC will strip its U.S. remake of hit U.K. game show across two weeks in an unusual scheduling move.

Warner Bros Television is cutting more than a quarter of its workforce as part of its parent company’s drive to cut costs.

Another wave of Warner Bros Discovery post-merger layoffs is coming.

Brooke Karzen, who has been with Warner Bros.’ unscripted production division for over 20 years, is leaving the company.

Selome Hailu Brooke Karzen is stepping down from her post as executive vice president and head of Warner Horizon Unscripted Television, Variety has learned. She shared the news with staff via a memo on Monday. See the full memo below. Dear Team, I’m reaching out today, so you hear the news from me that I’ve decided to leave my position as Executive Vice President and Head of Warner Horizon Unscripted Television. Leaving Warner Bros. after 22 years was not an easy decision, but the time is right for a change. I will take some time to consider new opportunities and am excited to start a new chapter.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior Correspondent Jennifer Hudson didn’t win “American Idol” 18 years ago — she came in seventh place. But it didn’t matter: She was soon destined for a tremendous, award-winning career. The superstar became the first and only “Idol” alum to win an acting Oscar, nabbing the best supporting actress trophy in 2007 for her stellar turn in “Dreamgirls.” Fast-forward to 2022 and Hudson is now an EGOT, having also won a Tony Award, Grammy and Daytime Emmy along the way. Now, she’s adding another credit to her lengthy resume: talk show host. Hudson will debut “The Jennifer Hudson Show” on Sept. 12, which also happens to be the star’s birthday. But why a talk show?

Jennifer Hudson is coming to a TV screen near you! On Wednesday, the newly minted EGOT revealed a new look at her upcoming daytime talk show, . As Hudson said in the sneak peek, «It's go time, people!» «We all have a story to tell. We all want to find our light and let it shine,» the orange-clad hostess said in the new preview.

EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros. Unscripted Television, the division run by Mike Darnell, is entering the feature documentary acquisitions market with its first big purchase – rights to Canadian true-con doc The Talented Mr. Rosenberg.

Jennifer Hudson is coming to a TV screen near you! On Thursday, the newly minted EGOT revealed the first look at her upcoming daytime talk show, . «I've lived a lot of life and I'm still here. Now it's time to sit down and have some fun, I want to talk to somebody,» the former American Idol star says in the brief video. «Nothing makes me happier than to see everybody shine and know that they have a light within them.

Jennifer Hudson is coming to a TV screen near you! On Thursday, the newly minted EGOT revealed the premiere date for her upcoming daytime talk show, . Having been cleared in more than 95% of the country, the show is officially heading into national syndication this fall. The series will debut on Sept.

The new talk show from Jennifer Hudson is almost here.

The Jennifer Hudson Show has an official debut date, plus additional details about the show were also just released.

EGOT winner Jennifer Hudson is ready to vie for her second Daytime Emmy. Her eponymous talk show that’s launching this fall has been cleared in over 95% of the U.S. by Warner Bros. Unscripted Television and Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentAs if Jennifer Hudson’s week can’t get any better, the newly-minted EGOT is about to add another title to her resumé: talk show host.Hudson’s upcoming show, titled “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” has been cleared in more than 95% of the country, now officially heading into national syndication this fall. The series will debut on Sept. 12 on the Fox TV stations as its core station group.Hudson’s show hails from Warner Bros., the same studio that was behind “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” which just closed its curtain after 19 years on the air.

Multi-hyphenate Jennifer Hudson has found her back to television, this time with her self-titled talk series The Jennifer Hudson Show landing at Fox Television Stations.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeIt’s hard to over-exaggerate just how big of a phenomenon “Joe Millionaire” was in 2003.

The Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday, May 12. And she'll discuss the decision with Oprah Winfrey on the May 13th episode of . “When you’re a creative person, you constantly need to be challenged–and as great as this show is, and as fun as it is, it’s just not a challenge anymore,” DeGeneres told  “Although all good things must come to an end, you still have hope that truly great things never will,” Warner Bros.’ unscripted TV president, Mike Darnell, said to THR.

The end is here. Ellen DeGeneres will wrap up her talk show in 2022, the host revealed in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, published on Wednesday, May 12.

Kristy Chan, who officially joined WarnerMedia’s TNT, TBS and truTV as VP Publicity last summer, is moving over to sibling Warner Bros Television. The studio has hired her as SVP Marketing and Publicity, Unscripted Television.

Elaine Low Senior TV WriterAmid the greater restructuring happening at AT&T-owned WarnerMedia, Warner Bros. Television Group is realigning its scripted and unscripted TV production operations, merging Warner Bros.

Nellie Andreeva Co-Editor-in-Chief, TVAs part of the broad WarnerMedia restructuring announced by CEO Jason Kilar, Warner Bros. Television Group Chairman Peter Roth is consolidating the studio’s scripted and unscripted television production operations.

about the high school years of Colin Kaepernick.“Ava is an extraordinarily gifted and thoughtful storyteller,” said Mike Darnell, president of Warner Bros. Unscripted & Alternative Television.