The Fox Television Stations have renewed Warner Bros.’ panel talk strip, The Real, for two more years, said Ken Werner, president, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution and Frank Cicha, senior vice president, programming, Fox Television Stations. The new deal takes the show through season six, which is the 2019-2020 TV season.
“Since the 2010-11 TV season, 23 talk shows have launched and The Realand Steve Harvey are the only two series to last four or more seasons,” said Werner in a statement. “While there are other panel talk series on the air, what truly makes The Real stand out from the pack is that it is comprised of four very strong, very authentic and very engaging hosts whose chemistry is unrivaled. Fox has been with us since the start, and we are thrilled that together we have built a strong franchise that will continue to entertain, inform and inspire viewers for years and years to come.”
“On one hand, it's very gratifying to be renewing a program that started as a test,” said Cicha, also in a statement. "On the other hand, it doesn't matter how it got here. Warner Bros. set out to fill a void and it fit our audience perfectly."
This season, the show — hosted by Adrienne Houghton, Loni Love, Jeannie Mai and Tamera Mowry-Housley — went live, which created more opportunities for viewers to participate across social media platforms. In 2016-17, The Real saw more than 12 million social actions and it expects to eclipse that this season. Season to date through Dec. 4, The Real is averaging a 0.8 in households and a 0.6 among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, both even with last year.
“This season has been a thrill,” said executive producer Rachel Miskowiec. “Going live showcases Adrienne, Loni, Jeannie, and Tamara in the best light. They’re able to address the tough questions and the headlines as they break. The news cycle is only getting faster, and we’re looking forward to keeping up with the hottest stories and booking more guests to contribute to the conversation.”
The Real’s renewal answers one of the outstanding questions headed into NATPE about what time slots will be available for studios to sell into going forward. While The Real’s renewal was expected, locking it up for two more years provides both the Fox TV Stations and Warner Bros. certainty about the show’s future.
Related: Studios Shopping Shows Ahead of NATPE 2018
Other outstanding questions include whether NBCUniversal’s Harry will return for season three, which is considered unlikely, and whether Warner Bros.’ Crime Watch Daily With Chris Hansen will be picked up for season four, which is a toss-up since that show’s key station group is the Tribune stations, which are currently in the process of being acquired by Sinclair.
