GSN (Game Show Network) Acquires Exclusive Off-Network Rights to ABC's "DANCING WITH THE STARS"

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Nov. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- GSN (Game Show Network) announced today that it has acquired the exclusive off-network rights to ABC's DANCING WITH THE STARS from Disney-ABC Domestic Television, which will make GSN the only network on which previous seasons of the mega-hit dance competition can be seen. GSN has acquired seasons 4 through 13 (season 13 will air its final episode tonight on ABC), and will begin airing them in January 2012.  The agreement also includes the upcoming 14th season.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111122/CL11522 )
 
"Many of the most popular shows on television today — including DANCING WITH THE STARS — are essentially game shows at their core," says Amy Introcaso-Davis, Executive Vice President of Programming for GSN. "GSN is all about the potent combination of games, competition, entertainment and fun, and we know that DANCING WITH THE STARS is a show our female audience already loves."

DANCING WITH THE STARS episodes on GSN will feature a wide variety of celebrities who have brought glamour, humor, and even some lively controversy to the show — including Chaz Bono, Bristol Palin, Kim Kardashian, Cloris Leachman, Susan Lucci, Tom DeLay, Kate Gosselin, David Hasselhoff, Mario Lopez, Emmitt Smith, Michael Bolton, Florence Henderson, Jennifer Grey, Wayne Newton, Marie Osmond, Donnie Osmond, Melissa Joan Hart, Kelly Osbourne, Nancy Grace, Ricki Lake, J.R. Martinez, and Kirstie Alley, among many others.

The first season of DANCING WITH THE STARS to air on GSN features a diverse cross-section of celebrities from television, movies, music, sports, fashion and society, each paired with a professional dancer: 

• Apolo Anton Ohno & Julianne Hough (season 4 winners)
• Paulina Porizkova & Alec Mazo
• Shandi Finnessey & Brian Fortuna
• Leeza Gibbons & Tony Dovolani
• Clyde Drexler & Elena Grinenko
• Heather Mills & Jonathan Roberts
• John Ratzenberger & Edyta Sliwinska
• Billy Ray Cyrus & Karina Smirnoff
• Ian Ziering & Cheryl Burke
• Laila Ali & Maksim Chmerkovskiy
• Joey Fatone & Kym Johnson

DANCING WITH THE STARS is the U.S. version of the international smash hit series, "Strictly Come Dancing."  This version is produced by BBC Worldwide Productions.  Conrad Green serves as executive producer and Ashley Edens-Shaffer and Joe Sungkur are co-executive producers. 

About GSN
GSN is a multimedia entertainment company that offers original and classic game programming and competitive entertainment via its 75-million subscriber television network and online game sites.  GSN's cross-platform content gives game lovers the opportunity to win cash and prizes, whether through GSN's popular TV game shows or through GSN Digital's free casual games, mobile and social games, and cash competitions.  GSN is distributed throughout the U.S., Caribbean and Canada by all major cable operators, satellite providers and telcos.  GSN and its subsidiary, WorldWinner.com, Inc., are owned by DIRECTV and Sony Pictures Entertainment.  For further information, visit GSN at www.gsn.com.

About BBC Worldwide Productions:
BBC Worldwide Productions, led by Jane Tranter, is based in Los Angeles and develops and produces scripted and non-scripted projects for U.S. cable and broadcast networks, as well as digital platforms. The production company is responsible for the smash hit "Dancing with the Stars" (ABC), "Top Gear" (HISTORY), "What Not to Wear" (TLC), "Torchwood: Miracle Day" (Starz), "Hairy Bikers" (HISTORY) and the upcoming titles "The Week the Women Went" (Lifetime), "The Next Big Thing" (Oxygen) and "Da Vinci's Demons" (Starz). BBC Worldwide Productions sits within one of six core businesses that form BBC Worldwide, the main commercial arm and wholly-owned subsidiary of British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).

SOURCE GSN (Game Show Network)