London to host 'Shut Up!'

Talkshow, a first for TLC

By KATHY LYFORD

London

TLC is fashioning its first talkshow.

Stacy London, co-host of the net's "What Not to Wear," will star in and exec produce a weekly primetime talkshow called "Shut Up! It's Stacy London."

The pilot has lensed, and TLC plans to add the show to its fall sked. Net will air an hourlong sneak preview of that first episode, featuring guest stars Jane Krakowski, Lisa Rinna, shoe designer Kristen Lee and author Ron Geraci, on April 6 at 10 p.m. ET.

Gabber, which will be filmed in front of a live audience, focuses on fashion and lifestyle issues and will feature celebrity interviews and advice on beauty, style and relationships.

What makes the TLC announcement unusual is that non-news cable networks have generally steered clear of talkshows as the most popular hosts can pocket up to $6 million a year to start a weekday talkshow in syndication. And if the show becomes a hit, the sky's the limit: Oprah Winfrey, a multibillionaire, is the wealthiest woman in show business, and in the last couple of years of her syndicated talkshow for Warner Bros., Rosie O'Donnell was harvesting a reported $30 million a year.

If London's show racks up solid viewership on TLC as a weekly series in 2007-08, syndication companies will come calling. King World lured Rachael Ray into hosting a syndie series, which began in September, when her various cooking shows on the Food Network chalked up big Nielsens. Similarly, six years ago, "Crossing Over With John Edward" performed so well on Sci Fi Channel that the net's Universal Domestic TV sibling grabbed the series for daily syndication.

But for now, London's goal is to make an impact on TLC. Christian Drobnyk, the cabler's senior VP of programming and development, calls the show "a natural extension of TLC's dominance in great style and relationship advice, combining a proven star and trusted expert in Stacy London with a new way of delivering the information and trends our viewers crave."

Regular segments will include peeks at celebrities' lives based on the clothes they wear, road tests of fashion trends by everyday folks, beauty roundups and a special makeover.

"This is the party I've always wanted to throw," London said. "Whether you stay for the night or you watch before you go out, you're not going to be sorry you stopped by."

Show is produced by BBC Prods. USA. Elise Silvestri is the showrunner; exec producers are Abigail Harvey, Vicki Barrass and Pamela Deutsch.

Talkshow would air Fridays after "What Not to Wear."

London has offered fashion advice and commentary on "The Today Show" and "Oprah" and has hosted red carpet coverage for "Access Hollywood" at the Golden Globes, Grammys and Oscars.

(John Dempsey in Gotham contributed to this report.)