Follow
In finishing the year with a bang, a podcast spinoff turned talk show is getting its season extended to a full season, joining our lists of renewed shows of 2012 and cancelled shows of 2012. BBC renews The Nerdist for full season pickup.
BBC AMERICA’s General Manager Perry Simon today ordered a full season of The Nerdist, a comedy-variety talk show based on comedian, writer, Doctor Who evangelist and web pundit Chris Hardwick’s hit Nerdist Podcast. The season will premiere in Spring 2013 as part of the channel’s signature Supernatural Saturday programming block, also home to Doctor Who, Being Human and new original series Orphan Black. Along with The Nerdist series, Chris Hardwick will be fronting the entire Supernatural Saturday programming block in the spring.
The Nerdist will continue to be produced by Nerdist Industries and Comcast Entertainment Studios, with Chris Hardwick, Alex Murray, Jay James, Gary Snegaroff and K.P. Anderson serving as executive producers.
The (10×60) series pick-up follows a collection of specials pegged to pop culture events throughout 2012. Matt Mira and Jonah Ray, Chris’s partners in the NerdistPodcast, will return as contributors. The Nerdist series will be shot in Los Angeles on a brand-new set and will feature celebrity guests, UK and US-based correspondents as well as stand-up and musical performances.
Perry Simon, General Manager, Channels, BBC Worldwide America says: “We could not be more pleased to be expanding our relationship with Chris by ordering The Nerdist series with an exciting new format, as well as having Chris host our Supernatural Saturday block. Ever since early 2011, Chris has brought his loyal legion of fans to BBC AMERICA through his successful Nerdist specials and, as America’s #1 Doctor Who fan, hosting countless Doctor Who-related events for our channel.”
Chris Hardwick says: “As a huge fanboy of nerd culture stuff, we at the Nerdist Podcast gush about the things we love constantly, and the fact that BBCA lets us do that AS OUR JOBS puts me forever in their debt. They have been exceptional at allowing us to grow the show and its audience. Plus, I’ve met THREE Doctors since I started working there. Perry Simon doesn’t know this yet, but I’m going to hug him REALLY HARD next time I see him-until it gets awkward. Six extra seconds oughta do it.”
The Nerdist Podcast, named one of the best comedy podcasts by Rolling Stone, is a top 10 comedy podcast on iTunes and has featured guests from Tom Hanks and Baratunde Thurston to Tina Fey and Matt Smith to Judd Apatow.
The Nerdist is part of BBC AMERICA’s stable of all-new original programming including Richard Hammond’s Crash Course, which wrapped season two this week, Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan which premieres January 22 plus new drama Orphan Black and returning drama Copper coming in 2013.
What do you think? Are you happy The Nerdist got picked up? You can also follow me on Twitter for more scoop on shows getting renewed like The Nerdist has.