A&E renews ‘Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath’ for season 2
Leah Remini’s crusade against the religion she supported for roughly three decades isn’t drawing to a close any time soon.
A&E announced Wednesday it has renewed the actress’ popular docuseries Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath for a second season. The network will air 10 new hour-long episodes as part of season 2, which “will further explore accounts of former members whose lives have been significantly impacted by the Church’s practices,” according to a press release.
“It became clear to us that although we were telling painful stories of former members of the Church of Scientology, this show was resonating strongly with people everywhere,” Remini said of Aftermath‘s renewal in a press release. “The show is really about standing up for what is right and not letting bullies have their way. I feel it is important for people to know that you can take action to bring about change, both for yourself and for others.”
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She added: “Our intention is to send a clear message to abusers that they will not go unchecked and will not be permitted to continue harming people without being questioned and challenged. We have been deluged with messages from those who have stories to tell who feel the show is a forum where their voices can be heard. We have been overwhelmed with support from well-wishers and fans of the show from around the world. But most importantly we felt compelled to proceed with another season to continue to reveal truths and seek justice for all victims.”
The show’s first season chronicled the former King of Queens star’s deep dive into revelatory stories — both personal and as told by ex-Scientology members — about the controversial church’s alleged practices, including the fragmentation of several families via “disconnection,” coerced abortions, and sexual abuse. It was cable’s No. 1 new unscripted series in the 25-54 demographic in terms of total viewers across Live+7 throughout 2016, A&E said.
Though it debuted as a limited series, Aftermath‘s first season ended on a bit of a cliffhanger in January, with Remini and her partner (and one-time Scientology senior executive) Mike Rinder holding an off-camera meeting with lawyers as they mulled taking legal action against the church.
In addition to her work on Aftermath, Remini, who publicly split from Scientology in 2013, additionally sought to expose the church’s misdeeds in her 2015 book Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology.
The Clearwater, Florida-based religious group has criticized Remini for speaking out against it, calling the series “a scripted, rehearsed, acted and dramatized work of fiction featuring liars.” During a December interview with Larry King, Remini responded to the accusations by encouraging the church to sue her.
A premiere date for season 2 of Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath has not been announced.
