News

“Wicked Tuna” has been canceled by National Geographic following the conclusion of its Season 13 run.

Filmed on location in Gloucester, Massachusetts, and the surrounding waters, “Wicked Tuna” follows a group of salty fishermen from the nation’s oldest seaport as they make their living the way it’s been done for centuries — rod and reel fishing, one catch at a time — all in pursuit of the bluefin tuna. The series gives viewers an in-depth look at the intense battles, fierce competition, crushing losses and major paydays of the country’s toughest captains. For commercial fishermen, the directive is simple: Catch a fish or go home without a paycheck.

The reality series premiered in April 2012 on Nat Geo and has since aired more than 200 episodes, spurring a spinoff, “Wicked Tuna: Outer Banks,” which aired eight seasons from 2014-2021.

“Wicked Tuna” is executive produced by Mike Nichols, Craig Piligian, Lynn Sadofsky and Michael Cascio.

In today’s TV News Roundup, Syfy drops the first trailer for the second season of “Happy!” and Imagine Kids & Family sets a partnership with Four M Studios.

First Looks

Syfy has dropped the first trailer for season two of “Happy!” starring Christopher Meloni and Patton Oswalt. The new season premieres Wednesday, March 27 at 10/9c on Syfy. The series is written and executive produced by Brian Taylor and comic book writer Grant Morrison. Neal Moritz, Pavun Shetty and Toby Jaffe of Original Film, Meloni and showrunner Patrick Macmanus will also executive produce.

Wgn America has released the first trailer for “Gone,” a new twelve part limited detective series starring Leven Rambin as a former abductee who joins the FBI to solve more abduction cases at the request of the detective who saved her, played by Chris Noth. The series premieres Feb. 27 at 9/8c on Wgn.

Connected to the “Real Housewives” universe,...

Discovery has announced the promotions of Loren Ruch, Betsy Ayala and Lynn Sadofsky at Hgtv and Food Network.

Ruch has been upped to Group Svp of Production & Development for Hgtv, based in New York, while Ayala is promoted to Svp of Production & Development for Hgtv based in Knoxville. Both report to network president Allison Page.

Sadofsky will now be Svp of Production & Development for Food Network based in New York, reporting to network president Courtney White.

“Loren and Betsy are each amazing storytellers, with a knack for understanding what brings our viewers back every night of the week,” Page said. “These well-deserved promotions reflect our strategic efforts to further strengthen the brands with distinct leadership, ensuring our flagship networks continue to entertain and inspire our passionate fans.”

White added: “As a respected and skilled leader in the industry, Lynn’s impressive career is a testament to her dedicated work ethic,...

Exclusive: National Geographic Channel wants to stay in business with Rob Lowe. After starring as President John F. Kennedy in last year’s Killing Kennedy and narrating The ’80s: The Decade That Made Us last spring, Ngc has signed Lowe to narrate the sequel. The ’90s: The Last Great Decade? will premiere over three nights in July on Ngc in the U.S., followed globally in 171 countries and on Spanish-language network Nat Geo Mundo “I’m excited to be back working with the team at National Geographic Channel, who continue to show their commitment to creating great, entertaining and thought-provoking television programming,” said Lowe. “No one has really examined the ’90s like this before, and I think viewers will be fascinated by the dramatic changes we’ve seen in even the small amount of time that’s passed since Y2K.” The ’90s revisits the pre 9/11 decade through 120 original interviews with eyewitnesses,...

Noel Siegel as been hired as Svp Production and Development to be based at National Geographic Channel’s DC headquarters. He will work with Nat Geo Channel’s La-based Svp Programming and Development Alan Eyres to develop series and event specials. Siegel, previously Svp TV Development at Warner Horizon Television–based production company Next Entertainment, will report to Evp Programing Michael Cascio. Meanwhile, Lynn Sadofsky has been promoted to VP Production and Development in the New York office, reporting to Eyres, and Robert Palumbo has been named executive producer in the New York office, reporting to Sadofsky. Sadofsky joined Ngc in December 2011 as executive producer/director, production and development, New York after being director of development and executive producer for Planet Green and Discovery Fit & Health. She also executive produced Queer Eye For The Straight Guy for Bravo. Palumbo has production credits at History Channel, AMC, Sundance Channel, Discovery, HBO and Showtime.

Three months into his tenure, National Geographic Channel president Howard T. Owens is looking to put his stamp on the cable channel. In doing so, the formerly Reveille managing director is adding more projects as well as four new executives to his development team, which will be tasked with developing series and specials for Nat Geo and Nat Geo Wild. Among them: Alan Eyres and J-t Ladt, who will be based in Los Angeles as Svp and VP of programming and development, respectively; along with New York-based newcomers Lynn Sadofsky, executive producer/director of production and development, and J.C. Mills,

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Discovery Fit & Health and Planet Green have appointed two new executives.

Matt Butler, who joins from the Travel Channel, will lead programming and strategy for both networks from Discovery's Silver Spring headquarters. He will report to Laura Michalchyshyn.

Fay Yu will serve as executive producer for both networks, and report to Lynn Sadofsky. She joins from the Food Network and Cooking Channel, where she was manager or programming.

“The addition of Matt and Fay further strengthens what is already a top-notch senior team for Discovery Fit & Health and Planet Green. Their significant skill and expertise in delivering hugely-popular content will be invaluable as we continue to build these two young, emerging networks,” said Michalchyshyn in a statement.

Read the entire release after the jump. [pagebreak]

Discovery Fit & Health And Planet Green Add Matt Butler And Fay Yu To Senior Team

-- Butler Joining as Vice President, Programming and Strategy; Yu as...

This week! Is it okay to ask a straight guy, “Who would you go gay for?” How “real” is The Fabulous Beekman Boys? What’s up with the gay blood ban? How do you talk to conservatives about same-sex marriage?

Q: Here Down Under, we had a great TV personality Rove McManus who frequently asked the question “Who would you turn gay for?” to the celebrities like Matt Damon, Hugh Jackman, Will Smith, and Anne Hathaway. But something didn’t quite sit 100% right about it with me. Is this type of question a further extension of the whole “bromance” phenomenon? Doesn’t this demean and trivialize the issue of gay identity? So I’m putting it to you O Great Winged One: how do you feel about the question? -- Papermoon a.k.a. Ste, Melbourne, Australia

A compilation of Rove MccManus putting various celebrities on the spot:

A: On one hand,...