Food Network has ordered two new series hosted by Selena Gomez as part of its upcoming programming slate.
The first show from the “Only Murders in the Building” star, who also hosts cooking series “Selena + Chef” at HBO Max (soon to just be Max), will be a “celebration-focused series” debuting during the holiday season later this year. In 2024, Gomez will launch a show that sees her going to other chefs’ kitchens for a change. The untitled project will feature Gomez “meeting up with some of the best chefs in the country in a quest to cook their most popular dishes when she visits their kitchens.”
Also making the 2023 season bright for the Warner Bros. Discovery-owned Food Network is a new competition based on the iconic holiday tradition of The Elf on the Shelf.
Created in partnership with The Lumistella Company, Food Network’s “The Elf on the Shelf: Sweet Showdown” (working title) is “set in a whimsical holiday wonderland and will feature The Elf on the Shelf’s Scout Elves challenging some of the best sweets makers from across the country to create the most magical and unexpected holiday creations ever seen.”
“The holidays are always huge for Food Network, reaching nearly 60M P2+ viewers, and having Selena kicking off the nearly 100 hours of new and returning holiday programming will certainly make this coming season one to celebrate,” Kathleen Finch, Warner Bros. Discovery’s chairman and chief content officer US Networks, said while announcing the new lineup at the company’s Wednesday upfront presentation to advertisers at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Returning holiday-themed series coming in the fourth quarter include “Beat Bobby Flay: Holiday Throwdown,” “Christmas Cookie Challenge,” “Holiday Baking Championship” and “Holiday Wars.”
Looking ahead to next year, Food Network has ordered a fifth season of Guy Fieri’s “Tournament of Champions,” which will be coming in early 2024. The cabler is keeping Fieri busy, also ordering a new competition “travelogue” called “Best Bite in Town.” For that show, Fieri “will appoint some of his chef friends to hit the road to visit different cities each week, competing to find the very best bite in town.”
“As the leader for food programming, besting ourselves year after year is no easy feat, but the upcoming lineup turns up the star power with new and returning faces and is packed with exciting competitions, magical holiday creations and culinary adventures for the whole family,” Betsy Ayala, head of food content, added.
Both Gomez-hosted series hail from July Moon Productions and The Intellectual Property Corporation (IPC), a part of Sony Pictures Television for Food Network.
“The Elf on the Shelf: Sweet Showdown” is produced by Objective Media Group and All3 Media America.
“Best Bite in Town” comes from Knuckle Sandwich and Citizen Pictures.
[Source: Variety]