SOAPnet renews Being Erica, Announces New Shows

Brian Frons, President, Daytime, Disney ABC Television Group, announced the new series recently picked up by SOAPnet and the return of the critically acclaimed BEING ERICA.

HOLIDATE, originally a one-hour special, has now being expanded to a 10 episode series. Each hour-long episode features two women who switch lives and date men in each other's towns. The women will communicate with each other as they hunt for true love. Series premieres July 29.

BANK OF MOM AND DAD, based on a BBC series, shows what happens when mom and dad move in with their twenty-something and thirty-something daughters who are in financial hell. Financial expert Farnoosh Torabi helps each woman plan a road map for the future. Ten episode series premieres Sept. 30.

The second season of BEING ERICA,starring Erin Karpluck (pictured above)returns in early 2010.

For more info: SOAPnet
(Photo: SOAPnet/ABC)

ABC and Campbells Talk Healthy Hearts

Alicia Minshew Erika Slezak Kirsten Storms
ABC Daytime is teaming up with Campbells to promote Women's Health Month.

Between the special storylines in the shows and the public service announcement featuring ABC talent carrying the heart-health message, “The audience sees that the actors they are watching every day care about them and their health, so it’s a terrific opportunity for us as well,” says ABC Daytime President Brian Frons.

The heart-health theme has been integrated into ABC’s soaps in different ways. All three ABC shows features a prominent character who is a heart transplant recipient. One Life To Lives Viki Davidson(Erika Slezak)has the heart of her late husband Ben. General Hospital's Maxie Jones (Kirsten Storms) has the heart of cousin BJ. Earlier this year, All My Children's Kendall Hart Slater (Alicia Minshew) received the heart of her brother Josh.

On “All My Children,” the hospital will open a new cardiac wing with a luncheon sponsored on the show by Campbell. Actual Campbell executives will appear in the episodes, Ms. Milway said.

On “One Life to Live,” characters Vicki and Dorian will co-host the second annual Valentine’s Day Go Red Ball, which is sponsored by Campbell.

“General Hospital” will feature an episode recalling its heart-transplant storyline with an “It’s a Wonderful Life” twist. The character Maxie, is an employee of a magazine that’s donating a dress to be worn at a Go Red gala.

“Because we own our own shows, we can really directly and quickly sit down with our exec producers and head writers, and because they’ve had some success with it, I think now they actually look at it as an opportunity to sort of outdo each other in terms of being entertaining and informative at the same time,” Mr. Frons said. “We actually enhanced the entertainment value of the shows and we actually had a happy client. We don’t get to have everybody happy at the same time very often in TV.”

All Children, One Life To Life and General Hospital airs weekdays on ABC and on weeknights on SOAPnet.

To learn more visit the website: ABC.com

SOAPNet To Air Three Original Series

Soapnet's series pickups include a 13-episode order for drama "Being Erica," from Temple Street Prods. and Canuck net CBC. Series stars newcomer Erin Karpluk as a 32-year-old woman who revisits moments in her life through shrink sessions with her mysterious therapist. It's set to bow in the spring.

"Southern Belles," from Endemol USA and ABC Media Prods., is described as a docu-soap following the lives of five twentysomething, single women in Louisville, Ky. Cabler has ordered 10 segs for debut next year.

"Greg Behrendt's Wake-Up Call" is a six-episode nonscripted skein from Avalon Television that is set to bow Jan. 8 at 11 p.m. as part of Soapnet's Valentine's Day-themed programming slate. Behrendt, co-author of the femme dating self-help hit "He's Just Not That Into You," will counsel one couple in each seg on their relationship troubles.