‘The Big D’ Lands At USA Network After Being Dropped By TBS

Peter White
·3 min read
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EXCLUSIVE: The Big D, the dating competition hosted by The Bachelorette alums JoJo Fletcher and Jordan Rogers, has found a new home after its surprising cancellation at TBS.

Deadline understands that USA Network is picking up the ten-part series. We’re hearing that a deal is on the verge of closing.

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It comes after the entertainment format was one of the higher profile shows to be axed at the Warner Bros. Discovery-owned cable network, weeks ahead of its premiere.

The show, which comes from Lighthearted Entertainment, the company behind Are You The One? and Dating Naked, had finished production and the network was running promos ahead of its planned July 7 premiere. But it was pulled in June with the company preferring to essentially take a tax write-off rather than air it as part of broader cost-cutting measures across the David Zaslav-run company.

It’s understood that the producers were handed the rights back to the show so they could shop it elsewhere and have worked out a deal where Warner Bros. Discovery can share in the ancillary rights, particularly around international formats. It’s understood that a number of global broadcasters were eyeing local remakes of the show.

While it’s somewhat of a surprise that the series has landed a solid home, it should be noted that Corie Henson, who ran unscripted across the Turner channels TNT, TBS and truTV, left shortly after that decision and took up a new role running unscripted across NBC and Peacock.

The Big D takes on the relationship space with a twist, following recent divorcees as they search for romance in paradise with one catch: their exes will be along for the journey. Over the course of several weeks, 10 divorced couples move into a tropical Costa Rica villa together to re-learn how to date while looking for love with other contestants in the house. The group of divorcees engage in revealing relationship ex-ercises designed to help the singles form connections, make peace with their former partners and finally overcome the issues keeping them from getting back into the game.

Each episode, one person who isn’t relationship material was set to be eliminated. Jealous exes might try to send their rival home or even defend their ex’s honor. In addition to hosting the series, Fletcher and Rodgers will be on the ground helping the divorcees get back into the dating game.

The Big D is exec produced by Rob LaPlante, Jeff Spangler and Kevin Lee.

Fletcher starred in Season 12 of The Bachelorette, where she accepted a proposal from Rodgers during the finale. They were set to marry in June 2020 but were forced to postpone their wedding due to the coronavirus pandemic. Fletcher previously stepped in temporarily as host of The Bachelorette when then-host Chris Harrison was in quarantine after traveling out of state.

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