Comcast Entertainment Group and Chelsea Handler have forged a new multi-year deal that continues the comedienne and best-selling author’s role as host and executive producer of E! Entertainment’s popular late night series “Chelsea Lately” through 2012. As part of the agreement, Handler will develop and produce shows across the company’s networks via her new production company, Borderline Amazing Productions.
“Chelsea Lately” launched in July 2007 and has continued on an upward ratings trajectory. Since moving to 11:00pm on February 16, 2009, the series has posted immediate gains to its new time period and has attracted an audience of over 746,000 total viewers, up +48% compared to E!’s first quarter 2009 to date average and up +31% among total viewers over the year ago time period While “Chelsea Lately” has climbed across all key measures, the show earns its highest ratings among women 18-34 and delivers more young female viewers than “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” and “Last Call with Carson Daly.”
“It is a unique pleasure to work with someone as extraordinarily talented, smart and ˆ of course ˆ funny as Chelsea,” said Lisa Berger, Executive Vice President, Original Programming and Series Development, E! “‘Chelsea Lately’ is a breakout hit that has significantly grown E!’s late night audience, particularly among young women. We are thrilled to work with Chelsea to continue the show for many years, as well as collaborate with Borderline Amazing Productions on developing new shows across our networks.”
“I’m very grateful to have a staff of writers and executive producing partner that are as equally unqualified to be part of any successful television program. Thank you Comcast Entertainment Group,” added Handler.
Under the new deal, Comcast Entertainment Group obtains “first look” rights to all Borderline Amazing Productions projects through 2012. The production company will develop programming for Comcast Entertainment Group’s family of networks, including E! Entertainment, The Style Network, G4 and FEARnet. The agreement also extends Handler’s talent deal with E! Entertainment and she will continue as host of “Chelsea Lately” through 2012. Handler and Tom Brunelle, head writer of “Chelsea Lately” and partner in Borderline Amazing Productions, will continue to serve as executive producers for the series.
As one of today’s most successful comediennes, Chelsea has captured a legion of fans and continues to perform stand-up to sold-out crowds across the country, most recently appearing at the prestigious Carnegie Hall. She is also the author of the bestselling books “My Horizontal Life” and its follow-up “Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea,” which both currently rank in the top 10 on the “The New York Times” Best Seller list. “My Horizontal Life” has spent a total of 21 weeks on the coveted list and “Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea” debuted at #1 in April 2008 and has remained on the list for 31 weeks.
Chelsea was recently nominated by Bravo’s “A-List Awards” in the category of funniest person on television. She is a frequent guest on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” has co-hosted “The View,” was profiled on “Nightline” and has appeared on the “Today” show and “Late Night with David Letterman.” She was also the star of Oxygen’s “Girls Behaving Badly,” which is now syndicated in over 90 markets. Chelsea has been recently featured in the New York Times, Cosmopolitan, W, People and is a special guest columnist for The Los Angeles Times Magazine. Vanity Fair proclaimed her one of the “Queens of Comedy” and she was named one of the top 10 “Breakout Stars of 2008” by Entertainment Weekly.
