TRAVEL CHANNEL RENEWS NEW SEASONS OF POPULAR SERIES
“Toy Hunter” Re-Upped for Season Two, With Six New Episodes Added to Freshman Run
“Baggage Battles,” “Hotel Impossible” and “Trip Flip” Greenlit for Second Season;
Plus, “Bizarre Foods America” with Andrew Zimmern Re-Upped for Seventh Season
CHEVY CHASE, MD (September 19, 2012) – Following the success of the premiere seasons of Travel Channel’s original series “Baggage Battles,” “Hotel Impossible,” “Toy Hunter” and “Trip Flip,” the Network has greenlit production for second seasons of its four newest shows. In addition to re-upping a second 13-episode season of “Toy Hunter,” six additional new episodes have been added to the current run of the hit show – including a holiday special to air in December.
“Baggage Battles,” premiering on Wednesday, November 14, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT, has begun filming 14 half-hour episodes, and “Hotel Impossible,” premiering on Monday, December 3, 2012 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT, has begun filming 13 one-hour episodes. Thirteen new half-hour episodes of “Trip Flip” have also begun production and will air in 2013.
In addition, Andrew Zimmern, the two-time James Beard Award-winning TV personality, chef, food writer and teacher, will return to the Network with a seventh season. He will continue to explore the strange foods and cultures in America’s backyard in the popular hit series “Bizarre Foods America” with Andrew Zimmern, premiering in 2013.
"We are seeing a lot of success with our popular new shows,” said Andy Singer, General Manager, Travel Channel. “Whether we are revealing the secrets of how a hotel should run or what amazing finds are hidden in unclaimed baggage and property, or taking unsuspecting people on an exhilarating vacation they never saw coming, our viewers tune in to Travel Channel to be entertained, informed and inspired. Our diverse selection of fun new programming coupled with talent who have strong and unique points-of-view, are helping redefine travel entertainment.”
“Baggage Battles” (14 x 30) Produced by MY Tupelo Entertainment with Travel Channel’s Daniel A. Schwartz as Executive Producer
“Baggage Battles,” premiering its second season on Wednesday, November 14, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT, brings back the savvy “auction experts” viewers met in the first season: Laurence and Sally Martin, a married couple who co-own StudioAntiques in El Segundo, California; Mark Meyer, a young entrepreneur from Long Island, New York who owns The Nifty Thrifty store; and New York City’s Billy Leroy, owner of the iconic Billy’s Antiques and Props, one of the last eclectic props and antique stores. The new season will continue to follow these shrewd experts as they trust their keen eye for detail to find forgotten treasures and hidden finds at the top auctions around the world including airport auctions, unclaimed freight and shipping auctions, police and seizure auctions, and vehicular auctions.
“Hotel Impossible” (13 x 60) Produced by Atlas Media Corp. with Travel Channel’s Brian Leonard as Executive Producer
The second season of “Hotel Impossible,” premiering on Monday, December 3, 2012 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT, will continue to transform struggling and under-performing hotels into bustling tourist destinations through the help of hotel “fixer” Anthony Melchiorri. After secretly scouting each property, Melchiorri identifies its biggest problems and then meets with the staff and owners to determine its key operational issues. As in last season, Melchiorri has just days to formulate a plan, revamp the hotel and re-motivate its staff. For some hotel owners, this is their last hope.
“Toy Hunter” (13 x 30) Produced by Sharp Entertainment with Travel Channel’s Stone Roberts as Executive Producer
The second season of “Toy Hunter,” scheduled to premiere in 2013, will continue to follow acclaimed toy and collectible expert Jordan Hembrough as he travels across the country searching for the most sought after pieces. Throughout the new season, Hembrough will continue his quest to convince reluctant sellers, abate budgets and avoid the unforeseen roadblocks as he tracks down the holy grail of vintage toys and collectibles.
The six new episodes being added to the current freshman run will feature Hembrough in Atlanta, Boston, Houston, New York, Phoenix, Tampa and Maryland (holiday special), where he continues to rummage through cramped attics and forgotten collections on the hunt for his next big find.
“Trip Flip” (13 x 30) Produced by High Noon with Travel Channel’s Stone Roberts as Executive Producer
Premiering in 2013, professional fun-seeker and travel expert Bert Kreischer is back and offering the opportunity of a lifetime, in “Trip Flip.” Every week he convinces two random people to spontaneously agree to a three-day surprise vacation. Kreischer delivers an action-packed itinerary stacked with the kind of VIP-access, accommodations, gourmet food, unexpected twists and celebrity appearances that only Travel Channel can deliver. And forget about guidebooks and tour buses, because every “Trip Flip” is designed to get vacationers off the beaten path, out of their comfort zones and into the mind-blowing, life-changing experiences that inspire us all to travel in the first place.
“Bizarre Foods America” with Andrew Zimmern (10 x 60) Produced by Tremendous! Entertainment with Travel Channel’s David E. Gerber as Executive Producer
In the seventh season of “Bizarre Foods America” with Andrew Zimmern, premiering in 2013, the widely recognized host explores the surprising and unusual ways we feed ourselves in this country. From forward-thinking innovators that challenge the way we view food to traditionalists keeping the old ways alive, Zimmern's advice remains the same: “If it looks good, eat it!” Throughout the season, Zimmern travels the United States stopping in cities including Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, Portland and Washington, D.C.
TRAVEL CHANNEL (http://www.travelchannel.com) is a multiplatform travel lifestyle brand with the core mission of providing inspiring and compelling programming that takes viewers beyond their everyday destinations, making the unfamiliar familiar,whether it's around the world or around the block. A dual feed network that is also available in HD, Travel Channel is the world’s leading travel media brand, and is available in over 94 million U.S. cable homes. Owned and operated by Scripps Networks Interactive (NYSE: SNI), Travel Channel has offices in Chevy Chase, MD, and New York, NY. Scripps Networks Interactive (NYSE: SNI) also owns and operates HGTV, DIY Network, Food Network, Cooking Channel and Great American Country.
