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After taking us to Salzburg in 2013, then flying us off to Neverland last year, NBC will next be taking us on a trip down the yellow brick road for a live television production of musical ‘The Wiz’. Working with NBC to bring the musical to life on the small screen with be Cirque Du Soleil’s new stage theatrical division, which will produce alongside the network.

Diana Ross starred in the film version of The Wiz in 1978

Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, who produced NBC’s previous two musical ventures, The Sound of Music and Peter Pan, will be returning as executive producers. While famed Broadway director Kenny Leon will be directing the project.

Continue reading: NBC Announces 'The Wiz' Will Be Network's Next Live Musical Special!

A group of young women from Philadelphia that founded a website titled ‘Geeks for CONsent’ has gathered nearly 2,600 signatures from attendees at Comic-Con this weekend complaining of sexual harassment.

The four-day science fiction convention held annually in San Diego may seem an unlikely setting for such behaviour, but Comic-Con attendees have been contacting Geeks for CONsent to say that they had been groped, stalked about the convention and photographed without their permission.

Continue reading: Allegations Of Sexual Harassment At Comic-Con

Matt Lauer's contract with NBC's Today show has been extended, laying rumours to rest surrounding his dismissal. The network received a number of complaints after Lauer's co-anchor on the morning show, Ann Curry, left. However, NBC has offered its official endorsement of the 56-year-old anchor and released a public statement making clear their intentions to keep Lauer on the show.

Matt Lauer's contract on the Today show has been extended.

The statement, issued on Thursday (12th June), announces Lauer has been signed as host for a number of years to come, at least two according to the NY Times. The NBC executives have released the news that Lauer's contract has been extended but the specific terms are uncertain. It is rumoured his salary could be anything between $20 and $25 million.

Continue reading: Matt Lauer's 'Today' Show Contract Extended By NBC

The internet exploded into a ball of molten indignation on Sunday night (February 16, 2014) after NBC interviewer Christin Cooper pushed skier Bode Miller so far on his late brother Chelone that the famously hard-skinned Olympian broke down in tears.

Bode Miller At The Barnstable Brown Gala

Miller had just won a historic bronze medal in the men's super-G and was clearly emotional - Chelone died of an apparent seizure last April and was clearly in the skiers thoughts. Cooper was a little too persistent with her probing, though it's likely that her NBC producers - always keen on a teary back story - were happy with her line of questioning. 

Continue reading: Bode Miller Interview Was Rough, But Go Easy On Christin Cooper

Former longtime NBC news anchor Tom Brokaw is unfortunately suffering from a form of bone marrow cancer.

Last summer, the 74 year-old was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a cancer affecting blood cells in the bone marrow.

Brokaw received the news devastating news last August (2013) at the Mayo Clinic, it was announced on Tuesday (Feb 11th).

Continue reading: Former NBC News Anchor Tom Brokaw Diagnosed With Bone Cancer

Michael J. Fox’s foray into the world of sitcom is looking like a short-lived affair. NBC confirmed last night (Feb 5) that the show – which is 15 shows into its 22 – will not be returning for a second season. There are also question marks over the final episodes; with the show being replaced on Thursday nights by Hollywood Game Night, no one knows when or if the final 7 episodes will get an air-date.

Michael J Fox's show didn't have the legs to keep running

Entertainment Weekly reported troubles with the show back on Jan 19 when NBC’s entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt was answering questions renewal odds for several prime-time shows on Sunday at the TCA press tour.

Continue reading: Michael J. Fox's Sitcom Is Cancelled Due To Poor Ratings

NBC have teased at what shows they are due to renew and which they are likely to drop from their schedules at the TCA press tour this weekend. Given how vague the network executives were at the press meeting, we can't exactly confirm anything, but what we can say is that Parks & Recreation will more than likely be getting a seventh season, everything else might not be so lucky.

Star Amy Poehler and the rest of her Parks & Rec. castmates celebrate the show's 100th episode

“I’m going out on a limb: Parks and Recreation is going to have a 7th season,” was the word of the NBC's entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt at the TCA event, giving the closest thing to a solid confirmation regarding the future of a NBC show. The only other shows that held a similar kind of certainty were two popular comedies: Parenthood and Community.

Continue reading: NBC Expects 'Parks & Recreation' Renewal, With Other Shows Still In Limbo

Ryan Seacrest is everywhere right now, so it’s no surprise NBC have elected him to host their brand new flagship quiz show, the Million Second Quiz. Paul Telegdy - NBC’s president of alternative and late night programming – called him a “master of social media and pop culture.”

“I’m so excited to be hosting this new live game show on NBC, as it’s really a fun and different format that I believe will generate lots of fans across different platforms,” said Seacrest, according to The Hollywood Reporter. NBC will be hoping to profit from Seacrest's considerable live credentials.

“When people see Ryan Seacrest, whether at the Emmys, the Oscars or New Year’s Eve, he is at the epicenter of national events” Telegdy explained in a statement, which confirmed the news today (Monday, Aug 5).

Continue reading: "Master Of Social Media And Pop Culture" - Ryan Seacrest To Host 'Million Second Quiz'

It's official! Dan Harmon is returning as show runner on NBC favourite Community for the show's coming season. Sony confirmed the news early on Monday (June 10, 2013), with the network following it up with a press release a couple of hours later. Harmon fans will remember how he was forced out of his position last year after an alleged behind-the-scenes bust up.

At the time, Harmon was replaced by David Guarascio and Moses Port for the fourth season, though it was not a smooth transition. Essentially, Harmon has been rehired to bring that 'Community feeling' back to Community and he'll once again be acting as executive producer.

NBC and Sony also confirmed that writer and producer Chris McKenna would also be returning as executive producer following his departure last May. The fifth season of the comedy is currently in development and confirmation on premiere dates should arrive sooner rather than later with Harmon and McKenna back on board.

Continue reading: Dan Harmon Back As 'Community' Show Runner. With A Beard. Maybe.

Adam Levine made a half-apology to Americans yesterday for muttering "I hate this country" during the closing credits of The Voice. We say half-apology because the Maroon 5 took to Twitter to post dictionary definitions of the words "humourless," "lighthearted," "joke" and "misunderstand." Hmm.

In fairness to Levine, his remarks really were pretty throw-away and he was obviously upset that two of his three acts had been eliminated from the NBC singing contest - one of them, Judith Hill, had been the favorite for weeks. The pop singer also released a statement through NBC which classifies that he really doesn't hate America. "I obviously love my country very much and my comments last night were made purely out of frustration," Levine said. "Being a part of The Voice, I am passionately invested in my team and want to see my artists succeed."

Levine added that the elimination of two of his acts was "confusing and downright emotion," and that his remarks were based on "personal dissatisfaction with the results," adding, "I am very connected to my artists and know they have long careers ahead, regardless of their outcome on the show."

Continue reading: Adam Levine Tweets Americans The Definition Of 'Humorless'

It was another shock result on NBC's The Voice this week, with two of the clear frontrunners getting eliminated despite strong performances. Unfortunately for Adam Levine, it was both his acts Judith Hill and Sarah Simmons who got the boot, despite being tipped to reach the final, reports E! Online.

Hill, a former backing singer for Michael Jackson, was considered the one to beat since her opening audition, while Simmons had wowed the American public with her soulful tone and consistent performances. The shocking results leaves Team Adam with just one act, Amber Carrington, while Team Blake retains Danielle Bradbery, Holly Tucker and The Swon Bothers. Shakira has just one act left, Sasha Allen, while Usher has one too, Michelle Chamuel. It's looking increasingly like that Blake Shelton will field at least one singer for the grand finale, probably Holly. The Voice audience have really taken to the country singers on the latest season.

Adam Levine may have hurt his one remaining act's chances after a microphone caught him grumbling, "I hate this country!" upon learning that American hadn't voted for Judith or Sarah. The Maroon 5 man was probably joking, though there's some pretty touchy television viewers out there.

Continue reading: The Voice: Why On Earth Didn't You Vote For Judith Hill Or Sarah Simmons?

Michael J Fox's return to television could turn out to be something very special indeed. He stars in an eponymous show for NBC's Autumn schedule in which he plays Mike Henry, a sufferer of Parkinson's disease who decided to return to his old job in television news after spending years staying at home with his family. Obviously uses his own experiences of Parkinson's, Fox is sharp, witty and funny throughout the new teaser trailer.

The actor first rose to television fame as Alex P. Keaton in 1980's Family Ties before becoming a global mega-star in the Back to the Future trilogy. He bowed out of a starring role on Spin City in 2000, following his diagnosis with Parkinson's disease but gained critical acclaim for his returning appearances on Boston Legal, The Good Wife and Curb Your Enthusiasm. The self-deprecating Fox has always been able to pull in the laughs and he appears to be in top form in the new show, which could become a major player on the NBC schedule if the latest clip is anything to go by. 

Continue reading: NBC's The Michael J Fox Show Seems Feel-Good, Fresh And Funny [Trailer]

NBC is giving fans of The Office a nice little farewell present as the sitcom wraps up its nine-year run on May 16, 2012. The network has announced the final episode will be extended by 15 minutes, airing from 9pm till 10.15pm ET/PT. Though great news for Office fans, the news is hardly surprising given the show's executive producer Greg Daniels told the Los Angeles Times last week he was gearing up to make some pretty daunting edits on the final episode.

"There's all these moments and you want to make sure everybody has a chance to have some closure on their stories and say goodbye or whatever," he explained, adding, "It was a big question of trying to fit everything in. That's the big issue right now because we have an 81-minute cut for the final episodes, and we have to cut it down to about 41 or 42 minutes. That's half of it! I don't know how we're gonna to do it."

Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant faced a similarly difficult task when wrapping up the original UK version of the show without leaving storylines open ended. One thing definitely happening in the season finale is the return of Steve Carell's Michael Scott, who will make a special cameo appearance.

Continue reading: 'The Office' Finale Will Be An Extended Bumper Long Episode!

Crime drama CSI NY, Matthew Perry's 'Go On' and Fox's 'Touch,' starring Kiefer Sutherland are amongst the television shows in danger of being cancelled when the networks announce their fall line-ups in the coming weeks. The clock is very much ticking, and it's getting louder with every passing second.

It's a familiar Hollywood plot, with actors, producers, writers and directors waiting nervously to hear whether their shows have made it onto the fall line-ups. If the ratings are not there, the show disappears. Simple. NBC unveils its plans on Sunday May 12, while Fox announce on Monday, ABC Tuesday and CBS on Wednesday. CW fans have to wait until Thursday for that announcement. 

As reported by the Plain Dealer, we already know that Animal Practice, Made in Jersey, Last Resort and The Mob Doctor are getting in, though there are several more high profile shows that are in danger of being handed a pink slip. They include the CBS crime dramas CSI:NY and Criminal Minds. Ratings suggest the latter might survive, but CSI looks to be a goner. A year ago, it was suggested that NY might get cancelled and CSI: Miami could survive though the reverse happened.

Continue reading: Networks To Announce Fall Line-Ups, Will 'CSI:NY,' 'Touch' And 'Go On' Survive?

It looks like NBC are giving up the ghost on Smash, the Broadway musical they’d hoped to turn into a TV ratings smash. The network have revealed that they are to move the show from its slot on Tuesday evenings to Saturday nights, a sure fire sign in the TV world that a show is on its last legs.

The show is currently midway through its second season, but will now play out the final episodes of it on Saturday nights, where it will more than likely get buried during the traditionally low-viewing period. The move starts on April 6^th. The network have announced that they do have a potential replacement for the Tuesday slot, with reality contest Ready For Love expected to fill the void and hopefully make up for Smash’s abysmal ratings, which began during the first season and failed to pick up for season two.

NBC’s trust in a reality show to fill the void lies in the one bona fide sustained ratings success it currently possesses, the singing show The Voice, which continues to punch above its weight and battle with more established rivals like American Idol and X Factor. It will surely do better than Smash anyway, which was undone by a series of critical damnations, which found plotholes and weak acting galore.

Today Show Anchor Retires: It's been a successful 32-years for Mike Leonard, after he landed a job in TV,  following his home movies. Over three decades later, after becoming one of NBC's most loved personalities, Leonard is calling it a day.

He carved a niche within news reporting - which is becoming harder and harder to do - by talking to, and about, people who rise to the call of duty but remain below the threshold of celebrities. Everyday people doing extraordinary things become the kind of story Leonard was famous for, and no doubt the way he'd like to be remembered. That or the action figure doll modelled after him. In 1989, Leonard had the honor of having a G.I. Joe figure sculpted after his likeness by Hasbro. They named their character, Scoop, whose given name was "Leonard Michaels" in honor of the real newsman. Scoop was also in the communications field, just like his inspiration. Now if that isn't the all-American dream, what is?

"Your stories...are a microcosm of you," said Matt Lauer after Mike's final segment aired. "They all have incredible heart, they're told with kindness, and hope, and modesty. They are understated and yet so powerful, and that is you in a nutshell." He leaves the show with fond memories and a legion of fans. Good luck to the next anchor!

Continue reading: Today Show Anchor Retires: NBC's Mike Leonard Hangs Up His Microphone

Community and Whitney were both due to be premiered Friday, Oct. 19, but they’ve both been delayed, a source close to NBC has confirmed to E! Online.

In a weird way, though, this could be good news for the people behind the show, as the enlarged press push, which is the reason for the delay, will hopefully glean a whole new viewership, designed to boost both of their profiles. "Given the success we've had for the past four weeks—including winning the first week of the season in adults 18-49,” NBC says in a statement, “we've decided to continue to concentrate our promotional strength on our new NBC shows that are scheduled Monday through Wednesday and have therefore decided to hold Community and Whitney from their previously announced premieres of Oct. 19," For now, NBC will air Grimm repeats on Friday nights at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Community is a show in need of a ratings boost; it had a small but dedicated fan base, but TV networks don’t like small and dedicated, they like large and, well, just large. The statement continues: "Without having to launch these comedies on Friday at this time, we can keep our promotion focused on earlier in the week. Plus, we will have both comedies in our back pocket if we need to make any schedule changes on those nights. When we have a better idea of viewing patterns in the next few weeks, we will announce new season premieres of Whitney and Community."