Wolf Blitzer to Host CNN Plus Nightly Show ‘The Newscast’

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterNational Geographic announced a slate of more than a dozen upcoming original programs Monday, all of which are produced by the brand but will debut exclusively on Disney Plus — not on the Nat Geo cable channel. But despite the shift, Nat Geo content president Courteney Monroe promised that it’s not a sign that the Disney-owned brand has completely moved away from linear content.“I realize that all of my announcements today were for Disney Plus originals, but that in no way diminishes our focus and investment in National Geographic programming for the linear channel,” Monroe told reporters Monday during Nat Geo’s virtual presentation at the Television Critics Association winter press tour.

her death — by rewatching “Golden Girls” and sending the series to the top of Nielsen’s charts, 30 years after its series finale.The sitcom following a group of older women as they enjoy their fabulous and unapologetic lives in Miami is still widely being streamed today on Hulu, where viewers can watch the entire seven-season show which aired between 1985 and 1992.The show has now capped Nielsen’s Top 10 Streaming Acquired Programs list at no. 8, beating out “Shameless” and “The Thundermans,” and short of “Supernatural,” in the week after star Betty White’s passing.White’s death at the age of 99 on Dec.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterStarz dropped the first teaser for its Sean Penn and Julia Roberts-led Watergate limited series “Gaslit” on Wednesday, revealing the actors’ on-screen transformations into Attorney General John Mitchell, President Richard Nixon’s most trusted advisor and best friend, and his whistleblower wife Martha Mitchell.Also announced was the show’s premiere date, which Starz has set for Sunday, April 24 at 9 p.m., the pay TV channel said during its Wednesday presentation at the virtual Television Critics Association press tour.Executive produced by Sam Esmail, “Gaslit” is a modern take on Watergate that focuses on the untold stories and forgotten characters of the scandal — from Nixon’s bumbling and opportunistic subordinates, to the deranged zealots aiding and abetting their crimes, to the tragic whistleblowers who would eventually bring the whole rotten enterprise crashing down, per Starz. Along with Penn (who rattled production with his insistence on strict enforcement of COVID-19 vaccine mandates on set) and Roberts, “Gaslit” also stars Dan Stevens (who replaced Armie Hammer on the series) as John Dean, Betty Gilpin as Mo Dean, Shea Whigham as G.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterParamount Plus and Showtime are two separate subscription services owned by the same company in a market that is already overcrowded with streaming and pay-TV competition. But that’s the way it’s going to stay for the two ViacomCBS brands — for now at least — as Paramount Plus president of original scripted series Nicole Clemens says the young streamer continues to carve out its identity as the home of “big blockbuster originals” versus Showtime’s slightly “more coastal” audience.“I think they’re complementary and I think there’s going to be some overlap in a Venn diagram,” Clemens told Variety Tuesday, following Paramount Plus’ day of presentations at the virtual Television Critics Association winter press tour.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterParamount Plus revealed Tuesday it is moving forward on developing TV series remakes of classic ’80s movies “Urban Cowboy” and “Flashdance,” bringing on “Dear White People” creator Justin Simien to write and direct the latter project.Additionally, the ViacomCBS-owned streamer said during its virtual session at the Television Critics Association press tour it has put a docu-comedy series from “Mr. Show” duo Bob Odenkirk and David Cross in the works.The “Urban Cowboy” project comes after Paramount Television Studios first set up development on a TV series based on the film of the same name at Fox in 2015, which was later scrapped.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterParamount Plus has renewed its revival of “The Game” for Season 2.Starring Wendy Raquel Robinson and Hosea Chanchez, the show is a continuation of the-CW-network-and-later-BET-show of the same name. “A modern-day examination of Black culture through the prism of pro football,” “The Game” follows the team as they face racism, classism and more, all while fighting for fame, fortune, respect and love.“The Game” revival also stars Adriyan Rae, Vaughn Hebron, Analisa Velez and Toby Sandeman.The first iteration of “The Game” debuted on The CW in 2006.

James Austin Johnson once again returned as President Joe Biden on the ‘Saturday Night Live’ cold open, this time as he meets with advisers who give him the goods on Russia’s disinformation machine over Ukraine.

President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden have welcomed a cat named Willow to the White House. On Friday, the first lady introduced the two-year-old feline on her social media accounts.

Wilson Chapman editorPresident Joe Biden will be one of many guests for the upcoming primetime special “Celebrating Betty White: America’s Golden Girl,” NBC announced Thursday.The special, a tribute to the iconic comedic actress Betty White, will feature a taped tribute from Biden commemorating the late White, who passed away last December. NBC also announced several other stars who will appear in the special, including: Drew Barrymore, Valerie Bertinelli, Cher, Bryan Cranston, Ted Danson, Ellen DeGeneres, Jimmy Fallon, Tina Fey, Ana Gasteyer, Goldie Hawn, Vicki Lawrence, Jane Leeves, Jay Leno, Anthony Mackie, Wendie Malick, Joel McHale, Tracy Morgan, Jean Smart and Mary Steenburgen.

Joe Biden is back to his old self.

Laura Ingraham impersonated Kate McKinnon’s “Saturday Night Live” impression of the Fox News personality.

Laura Ingraham relished in the attention from the opener of Saturday Night Live this past weekend, when Kate McKinnon did a biting impression of her.

Kate McKinnon’s spot-on Laura Ingraham impression was part of the Jan. 22 episode of Saturday Night Live, and Laura made sure to let Kate know that she caught wind of it. During the Jan. 24 episode of The Ingraham Angle on Fox News, Laura responded to Kate’s impression of her. Rather than just make a statement, though, Laura actually mocked Kate’s bit by recreating the comedian’s impression herself. The Fox News host imitated Kate’s tone and inflections, and threw some jabs at the Democrats.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterDylan McDermott is leaving behind his “Law & Order: Organized Crime” villain ways for a heroic leading role on fellow Dick Wolf drama “FBI: Most Wanted” as a replacement for its exiting star Julian McMahon.McMahon’s pending departure from CBS’ “FBI: Most Wanted” was reported Saturday, with McMahon and Wolf both releasing statements about his time spent starring on the show as Supervisory Special Agent Jess LaCroix.McDermott has played Elliot Stabler’s foe Richard Wheatley on the first two seasons of Wolf’s “Law & Order: Organized Crime,” as a series regular for Season 1 and now in a recurring role on the currently airing second season. Wheatley’s storyline on the NBC drama is supposed to wrap up soon, making way for McDermott to arrive on “FBI: Most Wanted” later this year following McMahon’s finale episode, which will air March 8.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterAfter three seasons of playing Supervisory Special Agent Jess LaCroix, Julian McMahon is leaving CBS’ “FBI: Most Wanted.” The star of the “FBI” spinoff produced by Dick Wolf is scheduled to film his final episode this week, with the installment to air on March 8.A source close to production tells Variety a new “FBI: Most Wanted” character is expected to be introduced later in the season to fill McMahon’s slot.“Over the past few months, the producers of ‘FBI: Most Wanted’ and I have had discussions about my departure from the show in favor of additional creative pursuits and the transition of my character Jess LaCroix,” McMahon said in a statement to Variety. “These ongoing conversations have given us an opportunity to orchestrate a seamless and productive way for me to leave the show.

Pete Davidson been blinded by love? A recent report published by claims that the 28-year-old comic has been so wrapped up in his romance with Kim Kardashian West that he's been missing rehearsals on, and shirking responsibilities to the show.However, ET can confirm that the reports of Davidson missing rehearsals because his relationship with the 41-year-old reality star are «not true.»An spokesperson told ET on Thursday that Davidson «hasn’t missed any rehearsals at all.»Davidson and Kardashian — who sparked their romance back in October, shortly after Kardashian hosted an episode of the sketch comedy series — were spotted on a dinner date together on Tuesday, Jan. 11, just a few days before 's return with guest host Ariana DeBose the following Saturday.According to 's report, this suggested that Davidson wasn't in New York for rehearsals for the episode.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterDiscovery Plus is launching a “Black Voices” hub that will feature programming spotlighting the African American community, including two new originals: docuseries “Profiled: The Black Man,” featuring commentary from celebrities like Billy Porter and Tina Knowles-Lawson, and “Uprooted,” a true-crime doc about the hanging of Black teen Keith Warren in 1986.Per the Discovery, Inc.-owned streamer, “The hub will live on the platform year-round with curated series, documentaries and specials that will take viewers on an educational, entertaining and exploratory journey through stories of empowerment and entrepreneurship, love and relationships, real estate and design, history and investigation, food and lifestyle and more.” “Black voices should be celebrated 365 days a year,” Lisa Holme, group SVP of content and commercial strategy for Discovery, told Variety. “We are proud to bring universal and relatable stories to the platform that highlight and represent the Black community across genres that we know will resonate with viewers.”“Profiled: The Black Man” is a four-part docuseries that examines the origins of the widespread stereotypes that have permeated society and impacted the lives of Black men in America for centuries.

Robert Costa, who has been national political reporter at The Washington Post and was host of PBS’s Washington Week, is joining CBS News as chief election and campaign correspondent.