CMT Greenlights First-Ever Animated Project, “Bounty Hunters”
CMT has picked up two new series, including the network’s first-ever animated project, it was announced today by Jayson Dinsmore, EVP, Programming and Development, during the network’s annual upfront presentation. Executive producers Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall and Larry the Cable Guy will voice characters on the animated series Bounty Hunters, scheduled to debut on CMT in 2013. In addition, the 10-episode reality series Trinity 911 will showcase the real-life hilarity among a small town Texas police force, premiering on CMT later this year.
“We’re in the midst of a bold, new era here at CMT with more record-setting series than ever before,” said Dinsmore. “We just closed our strongest quarter in two years, signed our first animation deal with the Blue Collar Comedy team and announced our newest slate of broad-appeal originals with some of the top producers and talent in the business. It’s a great time to be at CMT.”
Joining Dinsmore onstage in front of small, invitation-only crowd at New York’s Museum of Arts & Design were special guests Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, executive producers of CMT’s upcoming series Cheer, along with series star and coach, Patty Ann Romero. Top Viacom brass, including Philippe Daumon and Tom Dooley, were among the crowd; along with Van Toffler, President, Viacom Music and Logo Group and CMT President Brian Philips. The event closed with Republic Nashville superstars The Band Perry performing a three-song set that included their Quadruple-platinum #1 smash single, “If I Die Young.”
So far this year, CMT has launched its two highest-rated series in network history, Bayou Billionaires and My Big Redneck Vacation. The network’s continued success crosses all screens, with original series streaming at an all-time high on CMT.com and triple-digit growth across social media. CMT will launch five shows in April, including a second season of Texas Women (Saturday, April 7 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT), paired with the series premiere of Southern Nights(Saturday, April 7 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT). The Singing Bee returns Friday, April 20 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT, along with Jennie Garth: A Little Bit Country (premieres Friday, April 20 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT) and Melissa & Tye (premieres Friday, April 20 at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT). The network’s biggest show of the year, the annual CMT Music Awards, will air live from Nashville on Wednesday, June 6.
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS:
Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, Larry the Cable Guy and Lisa Lampanelli together serve as the voices for CMT’s first animated series, Bounty Hunters, a hilarious tale about three friends and their two-bit bounty hunting business. Bounty Hunters is a production of Muse Entertainment and Parallel Entertainment.
CMT also takes a look at the on and off-duty antics of the most colorful police department in Texas in the new 10-episode workplace docu-comedy, Trinity 911. The officers in tiny Trinity, Texas (population 2,656) may not have the world’s highest crime rate to contend with, but keeping their small town safe from danger is a full-time job for this fun-loving crew. Trinity 911 is produced by Endemol USA.
Produced by Milojo Productions, Cheer goes inside the high stakes, high pressure world of competitive cheerleading with tough-as-nails coach, Patty Ann Romero. Highly-conditioned athletes capable of jaw-dropping stunts and perfectly choreographed dance moves must balance a grueling schedule of conditioning and competitions, along with the pressures of everyday life.