TV News Roundup: Bella Thorne Producing Lifetime Movie, Michael Phelps To Co-Host ‘America’s Got Talent’

As if record-breaking gold medals aren’t enough, Michael Phelps has added the title of reality show co-host to his list of accomplishments. Also in today’s TV news roundup, Bella Thorne is signed on to executive produce a Lifetime movie, starring Cierra Ramirez and Gregg Sulkin.

GREENLIGHTS

Lifetime has greenlit TV movie “Drink, Slay, Love,” which is based on the YA vampire novel of the same name. Bella Thorne is attached as an executive producer and Vanessa Parise will direct the project that hails from Sepia Films and Just Singer Entertainment. Cierra Ramirez (“The Fosters”), Gregg Sulkin (“Faking It”) and Zach Peladeau (“i-Zombie”) will star. The TV movie is set to debut in 2017.

WE tv has ordered a new unscripted series, “Hustle & Soul,” which will follow the owner and head chef of Brooklyn’s Pink Tea Cup on his quest to receive the prestigious Michelin Star. The network has ordered six, hourlong episodes scheduled to premiere next year. Executive producers are Dan Cesareo, Ken Martinez and George McTeague.

CASTING

Olympian Michael Phelps will co-host Wednesday night’s episode of “America’s Got Talent,” NBC announced today. Phelps is the most decorated Olympic athlete of all-time with 23 gold medals, including five at the most recent Rio Games. His episode of “America’s Got Talent” will air live Aug. 24 at 9 p.m.

MTV has announced its live performers for this year’s Video Music Awards — Future, Britney Spears featuring G-Eazy, Nick Jonas featuring Ty Dolla $ign and Rihanna, who is the recipient of this year’s Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. The 2016 MTV VMAs will air live from Madison Square Garden on Sunday, Aug. 28 at 9 p.m.

TruTV announced on Wednesday a slew of guest stars set for season two of their scripted series “Those Who Can’t,” which follows the endeavors of an eccentric high school faculty. Cheri Oteri (“Saturday Night Live”) leads the list and will appear in seven episodes as the school’s new principal. Additional guest stars include Patton Oswalt (“Veep”), Baron Vaughn (“Grace and Frankie”), Rory Scovel (“Ground Floor”), Susie Essman (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”), Kyle Kinane (“Love”), Will Sasso (“Another Period”), Rich Fulcher (“Another Period”), Hana Mae Lee (“Pitch Perfect”), Ginger Gonzaga (“Wrecked”), Eddie Pepitone (“Old School”), Jamie Denbo (“Children’s Hospital”), Jon Dore (“Funny As Hell”), Ian Karmel (“The Late Late Show with James Corden”), Sean Patton (“Best Bars in America”), Gregg Henry (“Scandal”), Jade Catta-Preta (“Manhattan Love Story”), Noah Crawford (“How To Rock”) and wrestling legend Kurt Angle. The series returns Thursday, Oct. 6 at 10:30 p.m.

BEHIND THE CAMERA

Jon Favreau, who’s coming off “The Jungle Book,” has been tapped to direct and executive produce the first episode of Seth MacFarlane’s upcoming sci-fi dramedy series, Variety has learned. Favreau will also serve as a consultant on the entire series.

Set in space 300 years in the future, the show follows the adventures of the Orville, a not-so-top-of-the-line exploratory ship in Earth’s interstellar fleet. MacFarlane stars, wrote the pilot and will executive produce. He stars alongside Adrianne Palicki, Scott Grimes, Peter Macon and J Lee as members of the ship’s crew.

Production on the series begins this January, and it’s slated for a 2017 premiere.

Favreau is repped by CAA and attorney Geoff Oblath.

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