"The Real Housewives of Atlanta" returns to Bravo; adds 5th night

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“The Real Housewives of Atlanta” returns for season 3 with last season’s complete cast intact – Kandi Burruss, Lisa Wu Hartwell, NeNe Leakes, Sheree Whitfield, Kim Zolciak. The docu-series follows these five glamorous southern belles as they balance motherhood, demanding careers and a fast-paced social calendar, and shows what life is like in ‘Hotlanta.’ “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” is produced by True Entertainment for Bravo. Steven Weinstock, Glenda Hersh, Matt Anderson, Lauren Eskelin and Marci Mule serve as Executive Producers.


Coming off its fourth consecutive record-breaking year and earning its best year ever across all demographic and financial metrics in 2009, Bravo announced the addition of a fifth night of original programming and unveiled an impressive development slate, which will increase programming by an additional 20 percent in 2010. Development highlights include the network’s first foray into the music genre with a new competition series, continued scripted development with mega-producer Darren Star (“Sex in the City”), a docu-series development following “So You Think You Can Dance” choreographer Mia Michaels and an international food competition series “Around The World in 80 Plates,”(wt). Additionally, the network will host weekly live virtual viewing parties – now called the “Bravo Talk Bubble” – starting March 25th during episodes of “The Real Housewives of New York City.” The announcements were made by Frances Berwick, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Bravo Media.

Following is a list of programming announcements:

RETURNING SERIES:

THE FASHION SHOW 2
Internationally acclaimed designer Isaac Mizrahi returns for season two of “The Fashion Show,” which follows professional designers as they strive to make their mark in the dog-eat-dog world of fashion and compete for a chance to have their winning designs sold for the mass retail market. “The Fashion Show” averaged more than one million viewers in its freshman season. Produced by Left/Right Productions for Bravo with Banks Tarver and Ken Druckerman as executive producers.

MILLION DOLLAR LISTING 4
“Million Dollar Listing” returns for a fourth season of high-stakes deals and negotiations in the pressure-filled and competitive real estate game. The series follows the lives of Los Angeles’ hottest, young and aggressive real estate magnates as they make a fortune selling multi-million dollar properties in the most exclusive neighborhoods – Hollywood, Malibu and Beverly Hills. “Million Dollar Listing” is produced by World of Wonder for Bravo. Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato serve as executive producers. Todd Radnitz serves as Co-Executive Producer.

REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA 3
“The Real Housewives of Atlanta” returns for season 3 with last season’s complete cast intact – Kandi Burruss, Lisa Wu Hartwell, NeNe Leakes, Sheree Whitfield, Kim Zolciak. The docu-series follows these five glamorous southern belles as they balance motherhood, demanding careers and a fast-paced social calendar, and shows what life is like in ‘Hotlanta.’ “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” is produced by True Entertainment for Bravo. Steven Weinstock, Glenda Hersh, Matt Anderson, Lauren Eskelin and Marci Mule serve as Executive Producers.

TABATHA’S SALON TAKEOVER 3
The straight-talking, perfectly coifed Tabatha Coffey returns, lending her sound advice and styling expertise to help desperate salon owners turn their fledgling businesses around. Coffey brings her no-nonsense approach to the salon owners and stylists, all teetering on the verge of collapse and in dire need of her skilled business direction. With just a week to work her magic, can she put these salons back on their feet or is it time for the shops to put up the closed sign for good? “Tabatha’s Salon Takeover” is produced by Reveille LLC for Bravo. Howard Owens, Mark Koops and Heather Schuster are the executive producers.

SERIES PICK UPS:

MIAMI SOCIAL CLUB (wt)
This new docu-series follows Miami’s social elite –a glamorous circle where money, hard work, status and beauty rule. Get a fascinating fly-on-the-wall look at life on the sizzling hot Miami scene. MC Filmworks is producing this series for Bravo with Michael McNamara and Sheri Maroufkhani as executive producers.

MILLION DOLLAR DECORATORS
Explore the work and personal lives of some of LA’s hottest high-end interior decorators as they navigate a world where millions of dollars and massive egos are constantly on the line. Goodbye Pictures with executive producers Rich Bye, Brittany Lovett and Talia Lesak are helming this project for Bravo.

PREGNANT IN HEELS
Rosie Pope has managed to create a thriving business as the owner/designer of Rosie Pope Maternity, the ultra high-end maternity brand for the most sophisticated and urban mothers-to-be. Rosie – the tough talking, straight shooting coach for the most privileged expecting mothers of Manhattan — advises her clients on everything from planning baby showers and hiring staff to decorating nurseries and organizing Brazilian waxing for the labor room. Shout Media is producing this series for Bravo with Michael Rourke and Gerette Allegra as executive producers.

REAL HOUSEWIVES OF BEVERLY HILLS
The hit Bravo franchise heads to the glamorous city that defines luxurious wealth and pampered privilege, a city where being seen and who you know is everything – Beverly Hills. This one-hour docu-series is being produced by Evolution Media (“The Real Housewives of Orange County”) for Bravo with Douglas Ross, Greg Stewart, Kathleen French and Dave Rupel as executive producers, and Alex Baskin as co-executive producer.

UNSCRIPTED IN DEVELOPMENT:

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 PLATES (wt)
A new cooking competition series that takes its contestants around the world to test their skills in some of the world’s greatest – and most demanding – restaurants. The budding chefs will be on the run across the globe, navigating a gauntlet of culinary tests along with changing cultures, customs and cuisines. This competition series is developed by the Magical Elves (“Top Chef”) for Bravo with Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz as executive producers.

COMMANDER IN CHEF (wt)
This self-contained, weekly one-hour competition series tests established chefs with a series of intense culinary challenges before a live studio audience. The chefs must survive five consecutive head-to-head battles, ultimately taking on the chef host in a final showdown. The longer they stay in the game, the more money they can win. But with just one single defeat, they are out. This series is being developed by Stone & Co. Entertainment with executive producer Scott Stone.

FASHION MASTERS
This original two-hour special will feature some of the world’s most talented and successful fashion designers squaring off in the ultimate design competition. These industry leaders will work around the clock to create the perfect looks and prove that they are the best of the best. Magical Elves (“Top Chef”) is producing this special for Bravo with executive producers Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz.

HITMAKERS (wt)
An elimination competition series featuring undiscovered singer-songwriters, talented newcomers battle through a series of innovative songwriting challenges to find out who’s ready for the top of the pop charts. In each episode, the winning song will be revealed in a performance by a special guest star, some of the hottest singers today. True Entertainment (“The Real Housewives of Atlanta”) is developing this reality series for Bravo with Steven Weinstock, Glenda Hersh, Tim Bogart and Evan Bogart serving as executive producers. Bogart is part of “The Writing Camp,” one of the most powerful songwriting collectives in the business today, having written such worldwide hits as the Grammy Award winning “Halo” (Beyonce), the #1 smash worldwide single, “SOS” (Rihanna), among countless others.

MIA MICHAELS
Mia Michaels is the reigning queen of contemporary dance and is equally revered and feared in her field. Her work is personal, passionate, quirky, beautiful, challenging, uncompromisingly original… and she has an Emmy to prove it. Follow the “So You Think You Can Dance” choreographer as she navigates through the world of professional dance.

SCRIPTED IN DEVELOPMENT:

I’M NOT MYSELF THESE DAYS
Inspired by the novel of the same name, this one-hour scripted musical drama follows Josh, who by day is a straight, married, affluent power broker living in New York, but leads a double life as a drag queen at night. Darren Star Productions is developing this scripted series for Bravo, with Sri Rao and Emily Branden penning the script and Darren Star (“Sex and the City,” and the original “Melrose Place” and “Beverly Hills 90210”), attached as executive producer.

ROOM SERVICE
A one-hour scripted comedy/drama set in a high-end hotel that offers clients the exclusive services of a dream team of male escorts. Writers Damian Harris and Gary Marks are developing this scripted series for Bravo.

Source: Upscale/educated: Nielsen Media Research, L7 data, VPVH, 12/28/09-2/14/10, includes ad supported cable entertainment networks in 70MM+ HHs, educated: 4+ years college, upscale: HHI $125K+, Fashion Show: Nielsen Media Research, L7 data, total viewers.

(Source: information from BRAVO – Omniture SiteCatalyst. Total site: 2009 vs. 2008. Viewing parties: 5/5/09 and 12/9/09)