Howie Mandel et al Sign New Development Deals With NBC

NBC has further strengthened its growing Alternative production team with new overall development deals with some of the industry's top-flight reality producers, including Jason Ehrlich ("The Bachelor," "The Bachelorette"), David A. Hurwitz (NBC's "Fear Factor"), Alex Katz (NBC's "The Biggest Loser") and Lee Metzger (NBC's "The Voice").

They join previously signed producers including "America's Got Talent" judge, Howie Mandel and his Alvey Production Company ("Mobbed"), Tom Shelly (NBC's "Love in the Wild," "Survivor"), Craig Plestis (NBC's "Minute to Win It") and Jason Raff (NBC's "America's Got Talent"), who also have ongoing development agreements with NBC.

The new announcements were made today by Paul Telegdy, President, Alternative and Late Night Programming, NBC.

"These progressive development deals allow us to partner with an array of stellar producers, such as Jason Ehrlich, David Hurwitz, Alex Katz and Lee Metzger, who are proven leaders in alternative programming and provide NBC with tremendous creative resources," said Telegdy. "We also are thrilled to celebrate our current relationships with Howie Mandel, Tom Shelly, Craig Plestis and Jason Raff. We have stacked the deck and look forward to continuing to work with all of these incredibly talented individuals."

Ehrlich previously was co-executive producer for numerous seasons of "The Bachelor" as well as "The Bachelorette" and "Bachelor Pad." He also served as executive producer of "High School Reunion." Ehrlich will be the executive producer for NBC's upcoming relationship show "Ready for Love," with executive producer Eva Longoria ("Desperate Housewives").

Hurwitz recently served as executive producer for the return of "Fear Factor" to NBC, reprising the role he performed during the first popular version of the series for six seasons. Hurwitz currently is executive producer (with Mark Burnett and Dick Wolf) of "Stars Earn Stripes," a new alternative series for NBC. In 2010, he teamed with Ashton Kutcher's Katalyst to bring the stunt-filled show "Numbnuts" to MTV. Hurwitz also co-created "Online Nation," the first show to bring Web content to network television. He began his career on "The Arsenio Hall Show."

Katz has been co-executive producer for "The Biggest Loser" since 2009. His other credits include "Hell's Kitchen," "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette." Katz also will be the executive producer, along with Eva Longoria, for NBC's upcoming relationship series "Ready for Love."

Metzger is an executive producer of the hit vocal competition series "The Voice" for NBC and also was executive producer of for "Your OWN Show: Oprah's Search for the Next TV Star" and VH1's "Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp." His other alternative credits include a stint as consulting producer for NBC's "Who Do You Think You Are?," as co-executive producer of MTV's "P. Diddy's StarMaker," producer of "The Celebrity Apprentice" and "The Contender," and as supervising producer of "My Dad Is Better than Your Dad." He began his career as a writer for the MTV series "Kidnapped" and "Who Knows the Band?"

Mandel's Alevy Productions ("Mobbed," "Howie Do It") will produce the new game show "Howie Mandel's White Elephant," in which six contestants will select one package from a collection of wrapped gifts containing millions of dollars in prizes. Each contestant has to decide whether to steal a previously revealed prize - or take a gamble that the unopened box is worth more. The contestant left with the least expensive prize at the end of each round will be eliminated. Mandel will be the series' host and executive producer along with Mike Marks, who also will serve as executive producer.

The Emmy Award-winning Shelly serves as executive producer on NBC's upcoming reality series "Love in the Wild" - with new host Jenny McCarthy ("Singled Out") - which returns this summer for its second season. He began his career directing numerous episodes of "America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back" and the Fox children's show "Beetleborgs." Shelly spent nine years at Mark Burnett Productions and was one of the original producers of the popular "Survivor" series, where he worked for eight years, serving five seasons as executive producer. For the series, he received six Emmy nominations and one Emmy win. Shelly has served as an executive producer on many primetime series, including "Dating in the Dark" and "The Baby Borrowers." In addition, Shelly's other producing credits include the TV documentary "Eco Challenge British Columbia." He is currently President and CEO of Steel Mill Productions.

Plestis is the President and CEO of Smart Dog Media, a leading reality programming Production Company with an in-house deal with Universal Television, servicing NBC and its cable networks including Bravo, Oxygen, Syfy, and USA Network. Plestis was an executive producer of the hit game show "Minute to Win It," winner of the International FRAPA Award for Best Studio Based Gameshow, as well as NBC's "Who's Still Standing." As NBC's former Executive Vice President, Alternative Programming, Development and Specials, he oversaw all alternative programming and development for the network, including the hit series "Deal or No Deal," "The Biggest Loser." "The Apprentice," "The Singing Bee," "America's Got Talent," and "1 vs. 100," among others.

Raff helped launch the top-rated summer series "America's Got Talent" in 2006 and has been with the show for all seven seasons. In 2008, Raff was a consulting producer on NBC's dating show "Momma's Boys," along with producers Andrew Glassman and Ryan Seacrest.

In 2007, Raff was executive producer and director of "Clash of the Choirs," a live television event that aired the week before Christmas. In 2006, Raff was executive producer, writer, and director of "Will & Grace: Say Goodnight Gracie," a retrospective special. In 2005, Raff helped develop "Three Wishes," a primetime non-scripted show hosted by Amy Grant. He served as the executive producer and co-director. From 2003 to 2005, Raff helped lead the successful four-season run of "Average Joe" on NBC. He served as co-executive producer on "Average Joe: The Joes Strike Back." Earlier, Raff spent four years as a producer for "Dateline NBC" and five years at NBC's "Today" show.

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