BYUtv's "Studio C" Celebrates 10th Anniversary, Season 16 Premiere with Special Guest Jon Heder

Six original cast members of the popular sketch comedy series return to perform, host or direct

PROVO, Utah, Sept. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BYUtv, the home of inspiring family entertainment – available over cable, satellite and free streaming – today announced that the 10th anniversary, 16th season premiere of fan-favorite "Studio C" will guest star comedic actor Jon Heder ("Napoleon Dynamite," "Blades of Glory"). The premiere episode is set to release on the BYUtv app on Oct. 2 at 12:01 a.m. MT and on the BYUtv linear network on Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. ET/5 p.m. MT/4 p.m. PT. All aired episodes of the show are always available to stream for free on the BYUtv app and at BYUtv.org, and sketches will continue to be featured across social media.

A viral phenom with more than two billion views on YouTube and past guest stars including Emmy winner Kenan Thompson ("Saturday Night Live," "Kenan") and Will Forte ("Saturday Night Live," "The Last Man on Earth"), "Studio C" derives universally loved humor from everyday life through shareable sketches that offer comic perspective on commonplace scenarios and pop culture commentary. Since its premiere in 2012, the family-friendly sketch comedy series has successfully created standout characters like Scott Sterling, hosted a live special in New York City with sold-out audiences and fostered a revolving cast of talented comedians.

"Studio C' is one of our most beloved legacy series, delivering lots of laughs and lifting people up through comedy," said Andra Johnson Duke, head of content at BYUtv. "This season is filled with fun surprises for lifelong fans and newcomers alike, including a Halloween night special with a zombie-inspired spin on the show's opening sequence. To honor our anniversary, fresh faces will unite with returning favorites and iconic characters – a mixture of everything that has made the past 10 years of 'Studio C' so memorable and enduring."

Returning this season are original cast member Jason Gray, Dalton Johnson, Garet Allen and Arvin Mitchell. Megan Rico and Naomi Winders have also been promoted to series regulars, while Joe Balanza, Gabby Moore and Jericho Lopez join as recently added featured cast members. Also back this season is Tori Pence, who was part of the cast from season 8 to season 13.

In celebration of the show's past, compilation episodes will recap some of the best sketches in "Studio C" history, with themes such as "Back to School," "Best of Sports" and "Best of TV Parodies." Each special will be hosted by an original cast member, including Whitney Call, James Perry and Stephen Meek, who will also perform in a digital exclusive sketch. Some of the original cast members are returning behind the camera, as well, with season 16 sketches directed by Jeremy Warner and Natalie Madsen.

The premiere episode of the season will see the cast team up with special guest star Jon Heder, whose breakout role in the 2004 hit comedy "Napoleon Dynamite" catapulted him to stardom. Throughout his career, Heder has appeared in many films such as "Just Like Heaven," "Surf's Up" and "Walt Before Mickey." He recently starred alongside "Studio C"'s Jason Gray in the 2021 romantic comedy "Funny Thing About Love." In the season 16 premiere, Heder finds himself at the heart of sketches that take him from a hot air balloon ride with a hilarious twist to a mall trip that escalates beyond his control.

New this season will be a digital exclusive addition called "Studio C+" that features cast members interacting with fans outside of sketches. Most recently, the cast helped younger fans with a bake sale held at a local high school and raised money for Hope Squad, an organization that aims to prevent suicide through public awareness and education. "Studio C" is produced by Kaleidoscope Pictures, with Jake Van Wagoner ("Impractical Jokers," "Show Offs") returning as showrunner.

"We put a lot of energy into catering to our social audiences, and it's fun to see the engagement from our fans as we continue to push the show creatively," said Van Wagoner. "It's been great having some of our 'Studio C' alumni back. Bridging the gap between original and newer cast members has been exciting and has really made it feel like there is a 'Studio C' family."

BYUtv is available across the country via cable, satellite and multiple digital media platforms. For a complete listing of BYUtv's programming and to view full episodes, visit www.byutv.org or download the app. BYUtv streams for free with no subscriptions, in-app purchases or ads. The network is always streaming live, and past and current seasons are all available to binge.

About BYUtv

BYUtv provides families more than 2,000 hours of uplifting and compelling programming they can enjoy together. The network's content is trusted, contemporary and clean, yet clever and sophisticated enough to inspire children and parents alike. BYUtv's diverse portfolio of original, co-produced and acquired content includes scripted and unscripted dramas and comedies, competition shows, concert specials and 700+ hours of live HD collegiate sports. BYUtv is available in approximately 40 million homes in every state of the country on DISH Network, DirecTV and more than 130 major cable systems. A digital pioneer, BYUtv was the first U.S. television network to stream all its content live and free of charge over the internet. Today, BYUtv has more than two million YouTube subscribers and two billion views and is available live and on-demand on multiple digital platforms at no cost, including Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Xbox, Windows, digital apps for iOS and Android, and BYUtv.org. Based in Provo, Utah, BYUtv is part of BYU Broadcasting, which is owned by Brigham Young University.

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