Without question, Project Runway is Bravo's biggest hit. So it's nothing short of shocking that come this Fall, the show's going to be airing on Lifetime instead.
Yup, the show that helped make Bravo a household name is jumping ship, with a new season set to begin airing in November on Lifetime. According to Lifetime's press release, the move is part of a deal that will give the show a home on Lifetime for the next five years.
A couple of curious things:
- The press release talks about Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn moving along with the show, but there's nary a mention of Michael Kors or Nina Garcia.
- The press release is all about the sixth season starting in November. What will happen to season five, which Bravo apparently has the rights to air? Will Bravo somehow squeeze in another season before the jump? Or could both Bravo and Lifetime's versions of the show air at the same time, as one writer speculates? Open auditions were already being held in New York over the weekend
- Will this actually hold up? NBC has filed a lawsuit to try to stop the move, which the Lifetime statement acknowledges.
What a coup for Lifetime — and what a loss for Bravo! What do you make of the news? Do you care where the show airs, just as long as it's on? And would you be bummed if Kors and Garcia were done on Runway?
Photo courtesy of Bravo
Evisu Eu Ed
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Rm By Roland Mouret
I read this in a comments section on another blog and thought "no way"
But I guess it's true! It's shocking and I have to say strange - lifetime and pr just don't seem to be a match???
As far as the kors garcia question, I could live without them - I don't think they make or break the show, but it would be a little odd with new judges...
1Noooooooo! I love Project Runway. I don't even know what channel Lifetime is on my cable!
2YAY!! I used to have Bravo and I loved this show; but when I moved I had to get rid of it. I'm so happy I can watch it again!
3I looooove this show!! I love that it will be on for 5 more years, and I really hope that Nina Garcia and Michael Kors come along! Bummer for Bravo.
4hey do you guys wonder if maybe with a new network there will be less OVERT advertising (like every single challenge being sponsored by some other corporation) that got REALLY old last season.
5That's a shocker!
6YAY!!!!!
7I don't watch TV that often (with the exception of a couple of shows) so I have cheapo crappo cable.. I have always wanted to see this, but it's not worth the $$ for one show.. I definitley have lifetime, so I am happy
Holy crap--Lifetime? WTF?? Agree with Syako that they don't seem like a good match at all. Maybe Bravo is getting a big head, thinking it can easily replace Runway with one of its other many, many reality shows.
But I do think Garcia and Kors should come as a packaged deal.
The only way I'll be happy about this is if it moves to one of the 6 channels I can pick up with my VCR and bunny ears. Yes, seriously.
8I'm just baffled. And a wee bit disappointed!
9This isn't a belated April Fool's joke, is it?
Lifetime?
Really?
This show would be the ONLY reason I would ever flip over to the Lifetime channel. I can only stomach so many TV movies about ultra-successful women with husbands who beat them or abandon them.
10wow this is really unfortunate. I think Bravo is the right place for Project Runway and the network will defintiley falter without it. I hope Lifetime will remain true to the audience of Project Runway. Michael Kors and Nina Garcia need to be a part of the mix.
11LIFETIME!?!?!?!?!?! Are you kidding me? This better be a joke. I don't even have a clue as to what channel lifetime is on my cable. What is so fashion forward about lifetime!?! How else am I going to get my fix of Project Runway mini marathons? Do they have the rights to all the seasons? Nina and Michael better be going with the contract. I'm seriously ready to never watch Bravo again if this happens. Sorry but I can't stand lifetime.
12verily — that was my first thought too! "But April Fools was last week!" Not a joke, unfortunately.
Melo D — that's a good question about what happens with the older episodes and marathons, etc. I know Bravo has the rights to the first five seasons and Lifetime apparently just bought the rights to the next five, but I don't know who has rights to the repeats. Sounds like this is going to get fought in court, so I guess we'll see!
13i think all 4 (klum, gunn, garcia and kors) are crucial in the show; it wont be soooo enjoyable if any of them werent part of the series to come.
14will they have challenges now like:
MAKE A NEW APRON FOR THAT STAY AT HOME MOM, WHO USED TO WORK BUT NOW HER HUSBAND BEATS HER SO BADLY SHE CANT GO OUTSIDE
OR
DESIGN A SNAZZY PROM DRESS FOR THE ALCOHOLIC TEENAGER WHO MAY OR MAY NOT BE PREGNANT WITH THE TEACHERS BABY
OR
PUT TOGETHER A NEW THREE PIECE SUIT FOR THE "PLUMBING SUPPLY" SLASH MOBSTER GUY TO WEAR TO HIS 16 YEAR OLD DAUGHTERS DEBUTANTE BALL.
15the weintein bro. are crazy to move it from lifetime. OF AL CABLE CHANNEL LIFETIME!!!!!!!!! LIFETIME!!!!!!!! ugh! bad move i say.
16This is so disgusting. I hate lifetime. I love Project Runway and all of my judges. I just think that lifetime will ruin it. I love seeing my show on Bravo, its theirs and they deserve to air it. they also can't air both season 5 and 6 at the same time because there is only one other fashion week between that time unless Bravo were to start filming tomorrow. They just can't move it. Lifetime is so tacky, I don't even think that people who watch lifetime watch project runway or bravo. Oh! They better "make it work". I can't take this news. They better not change the time or the day too, it'd be so unbearable.
17I was already not keeping up with this show. Now I REALLY won't be watching.
18You got to be kidding me! This is such an awful move. I think what will really hurt the show is that any potential male viewers that watch Project Runway are probably going to be turned off by having to tune into Lifetime to watch it. As a die-hard Bravo fan, this news just makes me sad.
19I hope that airing on Lifetime doesn't change the way the show is done.
20Big mistake, moving it to the battered women network. Not cool, not cool at all.
21NOOOO!!!!! I love PR, but I don't think I can watch lifetime. why would they even think of associating with this network?!?! Words cannot even describe how much I hate the battered women/teen pregnancy network.
22Lifetime is trying to be more fresh and hip, so I can understand the move. I hope Project Runway doesn't lose its viewers. I don't have cable, but I have been keeping up with the show via youtube. Can't get enough of PR!
23::ROFL:: Caterpillargirl!
I do agree with Syako about all the overt product placement though. That was getting really annoying.
24Huh, I'm really bad at html, apparently.
25i don't understand this move at all. i hope nbc's lawsuit is successful, i dislike lifetime on principle lol
26I agree with Mulva- WTF?!? Move to Lifetime? Isn't that like an old lady station that runs lame straight to tv movies? Do I even have Lifetime? I love Bravo and all the great shows they air... I really hope NBC wins in court!
27LIFETIME IS FOR OLD WOMEN AND MOTHERS !! THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT STYLISH ! WHY THE HELL WOULD PROJECT RUNWAY MOVE THIS LAME EXCUSE OF A CHANNEL???
28Lifetime is a fine channel, why the hate? I get my Reba reruns on every night!
I love PR and if anyone leaves Michaels Kors will be missed more than Nina Garcia. Interesting news considering I read Garcia was putting noses out of joint at Elle for her "celebrity" on PR.
29why?? Is anybody really gonna watch it on Lifetime?? Now I know Lifetime is trying to do Army Wives and How to Look Better Naked, and all that stuff but honestly most of their original programming is crap. I think Lifetime is gonna bring Project Runway down to its level instead of Project Runway bringing Lifetime up to its level. I like Lifetime-- when I want to see those moment-of-truth movies, and stories about domestic abuse and sad stories like that. I don't watch Project Runway, and I definitely would not on Lifetime.
30LMAO @ CaterpillarGirl!
31((quoting)):
"LIFETIME IS FOR OLD WOMEN AND MOTHERS !! THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT STYLISH !"
Pause and reflect, rosa -- your ignorance is showing. (No worries; we forgive you.)
Most mothers who visit the Sugar Sites (I imagine) will *not* agree with your assertion that motherhood creates hopeless fashion victims, nor would they appreciate your (barely implicit) characterization of them as staunchly devoted Lifetime watchers.
Perspective (and a pinch of reality) -- it'd do ya some good.
32Oh and, by the by, Heidi Klum is a mother.
(Perhaps you were unaware, considering she was able to tear herself away from watching Lifetime movie marathons long enough to throw together a decent outfit and host a successful television show.)
33Lifetime is aiming to get more of the gays to watch.
34You tell 'em duck duck goose.
Um, also I heard Lifetime will no longer air The Golden Girls! It's moving to WE, which I do not get. I LOVE the Golden Girls.
35I don't like this deal. I have an awful feeling that Project Runway could be seriously delayed while everything is figured out. I do think that people would follow it to whatever network.
36I'm sure the same people who produce the show for Bravo will produce the show for Lifetime; they're looking at five more years of making money and they don't have a brand image to protect or commercial interests involved. Replacing Michael Kors might be more difficult if it's perceived that the rabid, irrational hatred for the Lifetime Network displayed here is endemic to the marketplace. However, I don't think the population at large gets lathered over the existence of a distasteful tv channel and if Kohl's (which is dreadful) can have collections by Vera Wang then Kors can be easily replaced.
I have never cared for Nina Garcia or her taste so good riddance I say. I also hope this move means the end of the ever-increasing product placement or, more realistically, a reduction.
This is actually a great opportunity for fashion to showcase some of its younger talent by using a younger designer, editor, or stylist to fill these vacant spots. American fashion needs successful young blood to keep it going as so soberly stated by Anna Wintour in the documentary, "Seamless." Maybe that's why "Project Runway" has yet to launch anyone's career--the judges don't have the freshest ideas in their industry anymore.
37love this show
38Hopefully Lifetime will move to HD before this.
39that's really interesting to hear about this. to be honest, i can't imagine watching this show for another 5 years...it's like ANTM - it's on it's 10th sesaon and it's just too much already. they've done everything that they can do for shoots - they've gone to soo many different countries...it's just too much.
how many new design challenges can they come up with? they are going to be scraping the bottom of the barrel.
i guess if heidi is able to make $$ off selling the show - and tim is able to continue to get paid to be the in-workroom guy then more power to them i guess.
40duck duck goose--thank you for putting it so well--I was getting all riled up at rosa. You difused things so nicely.
41I already watch a few shows (not their made-for-TV movies; those make me gag) on Lifetime (including What Not To Wear) and some of them are already in HD. I don't hate on Lifetime as much as other people here, but PR does seem like an odd fit for the network. Does that mean shows like Top Chef might move too?
Like Ilana, I don't know if I can imagine myself watching several more seasons of this in the years to come. ANTM is getting so old now that it's in its 8th or 9th or 10th or whatever season and I don't know how much longer they can keep it around. Will the same fate meet PR?
42NBC is suing to keep the show, and supposedly the 5th season will still be shown on Bravo. But if Lifetime does wind up getting it, I agree with the earlier comment that it'll be available in HD
43Like most, I'm shocked. I really enjoy the promotion and interactivity of the PR section on the Bravo website.. I hope Lifetime can keep these things alive.
44Oh, suckbags -- I totally overlooked the loss of high-definition presentation in this switch.
Double-bummer.
45(quoting anniekim):
"thank you for putting it so well"
Anytime!
46Project Runway on Lifetime? Lifetime should stick to stupid made for tv movies.
47This just brought all kinds of "EEEEEGADS"
48I love this show! As long as Tim and Heidi are still there i'm in...I strongly dislike Nina and Michael.
49Iamawsomeness/ no you're not,you're immature and silly.Imagine not watching a favorite show because it's moved from from a Greedy channel to be picked up by a great channel,how does your mentality work? Lifetime picked it up,stupid!Duck? you'd better,cause you're another jerk!"You'll" not watch an old lady channel? what? how old are you? I mean a woman/man w/ ANY intellegence would never say such an insipid thing!I don't care WHERE it's on & mature people do not care either,don't you people have anything better to express re: the talented show?well...
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