Animal Planet has given the go ahead to three new series, including a spinoff of its reality competition show Groomer Has It, and a fully computer generated series.
The new shows are:
Animal Armageddon, a fully CGI series from production house Digital Ranch. The series will explore ancient earth and the catastrophes that led to mass extinctions of across the globe. The eight part series will premiere in February.
Beverly Hills Groomer, a spinoff of Animal Planet’s competition series Groomer Has It. The series will follow Groomer Has It winner Artist Knox as he tries to become top dog in the grooming industry. The twelve part series will debut in May.
River Monsters, which features host Jeremy Wade exploring freshwater rivers, searching for fish with a taste for human flesh. The seven episode series will launch with a one hour special in April dubbed “Killer Catfish.”
Animal Planet has been shifting its programming focus toward entertainment, rather than nature fare. The success of Groomer Has It and Whale Wars, and the buzz surrounding upcoming series Jockeys is just the first step in transforming the networks focus.
“Over the past year, Animal Planet has begun to transform into an entertainment destination with new and competitive shows that push the boundaries of our brand and elicit real excitement from viewers,” says Marjorie Kaplan, president and GM of Animal Planet Media, announcing the shows. “Our investment in fresh, unexpected and compelling content has brought new viewers to the network. These amazing shows are only the beginning of what we have in store for 2009.”
