Tuesday, January 30, 2007

ABC Renews AMERICA’S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS, SUPERNANNY And WIFE SWAP

ABC Announces Early Series Pick-Ups Of AMERICA’S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS, SUPERNANNY And WIFE SWAP

The ABC Television Network announced early pick-up’s of AMERICA’S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS, SUPERNANNNY, and WIFE SWAP. AFHV was picked up for a record breaking 18th season, while both SUPERNANNY and WIFE SWAP were picked-up for fourth seasons.

The longest running primetime entertainment show in ABC history, AMERICA’S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS has kept America laughing for 17 seasons with animal antics, practical jokes and hilarious footage of what happens when adults, children and even inanimate objects are at their spontaneous best. In its 17 seasons to date, AMERICA’S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS has given away over $9 million in prize money and evaluated more than half a million videotapes from home viewers.

Vin Di Bona is executive producer, with Todd Thicke and Michele Nasraway serving as co-executive producers. AMERICA’S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS, which premiered on January 14, 1990 and is from Vin Di Bona Productions.

Now in its third hit season, SUPERNANNY continues to save America, one harried family at a time. Jo Frost, as Supernanny, can tame the wildest toddler, soothe the savage six-year-old and get the most difficult child to overcome problems with behavior, sleep, mealtime, potty training and other challenges that have vexed parents around the world for centuries. After just three episodes of the show aired in the U.K. in summer 2004, Jo Frost became Britain’s hottest new TV star and godsend to desperate parents who were dazzled by her amazing results with unruly children. She debuted in America in early 2005 and captivated Americans as well with her practical, no-nonsense style, honed over 17 years of nannying. Hailed by the New York Times as "fascinating" and "required viewing;" praised by Oprah Winfrey, David Letterman and Kelly Ripa; acclaimed by such publications as Newsweek, Hollywood Reporter and The New Yorker; and lauded by parents and nannies across America, SUPERNANNY is phenomenon. It airs in 47 territories, almost all of them with Frost as Supernanny.

Nick Powell is the creator and executive producer of both the American and British versions of the show. Craig Armstrong and Nick Emmerson are executive producers of the American version. SUPERNANNY is produced by Ricochet, Ltd.

WIFE SWAP, the critically-acclaimed unscripted reality show that takes us into the intimate heart of the American family home, reveals the extraordinarily different ways families live their lives. Each week from across the country, two families with very different values are chosen to take part in a two-week long challenge. The wives from these two families exchange husbands, children and lives (but not bedrooms) to discover just what it’s like to live another woman’s life. It’s a mind-blowing experiment that often ends up changing their lives forever, with explosive, enlightening and often very funny results.

When WIFE SWAP premiered in 2003 in the United Kingdom, it was an instant television phenomenon. The program has won numerous awards, most recently the prestigious BAFTA (British Academy of Film & Television Arts) Award for best reality show and the Golden Rose for best reality program at the International Rose D’Or Festival, Europe’s top entertainment television awards. WIFE SWAP currently airs from France to Australia and Germany to New Zealand. It has been sold as an acquisition or a format to over 100 international territories.

WIFE SWAP is an RDF USA production. It was created by Stephen Lambert and is executive-produced by Wendy Roth and Stephen Lambert of RDF Media ("Faking It" and "Junkyard Wars") and Michael Davies of Embassy Row ("Who Wants to be a Millionaire"). Cristin Cricco, Stephanie Schwam Adams and Mike Gamson are the co-executive producers.