OWN: OPRAH WINFREY NETWORK announced today it has ordered two new docu-series that will join its popular Saturday night programming line-up later this year. "Released," produced by Lucky 8 TV, features intimate, first-person narratives of formerly incarcerated men and women as they walk out of the prison doors for the first time to restart their lives. "Checking Inn" (working title) from Trooper Entertainment in association with Lionsgate Television, follows former Essence Magazine editor-in-chief Monique Greenwood as she pursues her lifelong dream of running her own bed and breakfast.
"OWN's Saturday night lineup features entertaining and thought-provoking docu-series focused around conversations our audience is having in their everyday lives," said Erik Logan, president, OWN. "We think both of these shows will connect with our viewers and we're pleased to be able to continue to serve up great new content."
ABOUT "RELEASED" The United States has approximately 2.5 million people in prisons across the country - more than any other country in the world. The first 90 days of being released are crucial for those who have been incarcerated - as they often face many challenges and few resources - and nearly 40% of released convicted felons re-offend within the first six months (Bureau of Justice Statistics). Driven by intimate, first-person narratives and through a diary-like lens, "Released" presents autobiographical portraits of formerly incarcerated men and women as they walk out of the prison doors for the first time and attempt to reconnect with their loved ones, establish their independence and begin the long, hard work of resurrecting their abandoned lives. "Released" is executive produced by Oprah Winfrey and produced by Lucky 8 TV ("60 Days In") with executive producers Greg Henry, Kim Woodard, Jarrett Lambo and Keayr Braxton, alongside author and advocate Shaka Shangor as consulting producer.
ABOUT "CHECKING INN" (working title) In 2001, Monique Greenwood quit her job as editor-in-chief of Essence Magazine,
RISKING IT ALL to pursue a lifelong dream of opening her own bed & breakfast. Although Monique was often told that she was crazy, she wanted to build a legacy to leave to her daughter. Today, she runs Akwaaba Bed & Breakfast Inns, the most successful B&B business on the east coast. As a successful entrepreneur, Monique runs her
EMPIRE with heart and soul serving as the everything planner and the innkeeper-she even finds herself acting as a "therapist" to her guests who bring lots of baggage-and not luggage. Set at The Mansion at Noble Lane in Poconos, Pennsylvania, this former Woolworth estate welcomes couples who seek to save their marriages, re-ignite passion and celebrate life's most exciting events. Things may not always go smoothly, but Monique and her colorful staff work hard to make sure their guests have an experience they'll never forget. "Checking Inn" is executive produced by Dave Caplan ("Monica the Medium," "Holy Foley") from Trooper Entertainment in association with Lionsgate Television.
ABOUT LUCKY 8 TV
LUCKY 8 TV is an unscripted film and television production company launched in 2014 by veteran producers and partners Kim Woodard, Greg Henry, Isaac Holub and George Kralovansky, whose combined skills fill the spectrum from comedy to science, and from blue-chip documentary to access-driven journalism. Since its inception in 2014, Lucky 8 has produced a broad range of programming across a variety of networks and genres. Current and recent series and event specials include OWN's upcoming Released; the top-rated, critically acclaimed
60 DAYS IN and
BEHIND BARS: ROOKIE YEAR for A&E; Kids BBQ Championship for Food Network; The Unknown Flag Raiser of Iwo Jima and
ALASKA AIRCRASH INVESTIGATIONS for Smithsonian Channel; Vinny & Ma Eat America for Cooking Channel; Secrets of the
UNDERGROUND for
Science Channel;
3 SCIENTISTS WALK INTO A BAR for Weather Channel; and the upcoming The Real Story with Maria Elena Salinas for ID. For more information, visit www.lucky8.tv.
ABOUT LIONSGATE
Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) is a vertically integrated next generation global content leader with a diversified presence in motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, premium pay television networks, home entertainment, global distribution and sales, interactive ventures and games and location-based entertainment. With the acquisition of Starz, Lionsgate adds to its portfolio of businesses the flagship
Starz premium pay network serving 24.3 million subscribers and the
Starz ENCORE platform with 31 million subscribers. The combined company will operate five over-the-top (OTT) streaming services and the
Starz app delivering content directly to consumers. The Company's feature film business spans eight labels and includes the blockbuster The Hunger Games franchise, the Now You See Me series, the box office blockbuster La La Land, which won six Academy Awards®, the hit franchise sequel John Wick: Chapter Two, double Oscar winner Hacksaw Ridge, Tyler Perry's Boo! A Madea Halloween, The Shack,
CBS Films/Lionsgate's Hell or High Water, Roadside Attractions' critically-acclaimed Manchester by the Sea, Codeblack Films' breakout concert film Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain and Pantelion Films' Instructions Not Included, the highest-grossing Spanish-language film ever released in the U.S. One of the largest independent television businesses in the world, Lionsgate's slate of premium quality series encompasses nearly 90 shows on more than 40 different networks. These include the ground-breaking Orange is the New Black, the fan favorite Nashville, the
Syndication success The Wendy Williams Show, the hit drama The Royals, the acclaimed Casual, the breakout success Greenleaf and hit
Starz series including Outlander, Black Sails,
SURVIVOR'S REMORSE and Power, the second highest-rated premium pay television series of 2016. Lionsgate's home entertainment business is an industry leader in box office-to-DVD and box office-to-VOD revenue conversion rates. Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of more than 16,000 motion picture and television titles that is an important source of recurring revenue and serves as a foundation for the growth of the Company's core businesses. The Lionsgate, Summit Entertainment and
Starz brands are synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world. www.lionsgate.com
ABOUT OWN:
OPRAH WINFREY NETWORK OWN:
OPRAH WINFREY NETWORK is the first and only network named for, and inspired by, a single iconic leader. Oprah Winfrey's heart and creative instincts inform the brand - and the magnetism of the channel. Winfrey provides leadership in programming and attracts superstar talent to join her in primetime, building a global community of like-minded viewers and leading that community to connect on social media and beyond. OWN is a singular destination on cable. Depth with edge. Heart. Star power. Connection. And endless possibilities. OWN is a joint venture between Harpo, Inc. and Discovery Communications. The network debuted on January 1, 2011. The venture also includes the award-winning digital platform Oprah.com. For more information, please visit www.oprah.com/own.
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