Reality Beat: ‘Catfish’ Canceled After Nev Schulman’s Exit, Taylor Frankie Paul Named Next Bachelorette Amid Franchise Shakeup

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Docuseries: After nine seasons, MTV has canceled its long-running docuseries Catfish: The TV Show. The cancellation followed Producer Nev Schulman’s departure to seek a real estate license shortly after the Paramount-Skydance merger. While MTV will no longer produce new episodes, the cable channel—now under Paramount Skydance ownership—will continue to air reruns.

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Docusoap: Netflix’s The Ultimatum: Queer Love has been removed from the Ultimatum franchise after its second season premiered in June. While the original series has been renewed for a fourth season, the spinoff was canceled after failing to reach the platform’s global Top 10.

Don’t Get Catfished, Channel 4’s newest digital dating show, has been renewed for a second season, an incredible feat given the success of its debut. Trent William-Jones is producing  the upcoming season, which will consist of six 20-minute episodes.

“We know Don’t Get Catfished will quickly captivate our audience, so we wanted to ensure we quickly follow up on the first series with more chaos next year,” said Evie Buckley, Digital Commissioning Editor at Channel 4 and Channel 4.0 Lead. 

micheal strahan - Christopher Willard

Game Shows: Tom Brady and Michael Strahan’s production company, Religion of Sports, is developing a new game show based on the popular online sports trivia contest Immaculate Grid. The show will be turned into a live-action format for television, similar to the digital version where players fill a 3×3 grid with athletes that meet specific criteria.

“Immaculate Grid is the online game to play if you’re a serious sports fan.  It’s very challenging and very addictive,” said Victor Buhler, SVP of Development and Production at Religion of Sports. “We believe the game can also become a terrific show, a future favorite for sports fans of every stripe.”

Banjay Entertainment, a European production group, has obtained the rights to the Japanese/Korean musical gameshow 100. With these rights, Banijay can develop an English-language adaptation for their audiences. While the overall format will remain true to the original, the specific content and structure of each episode have yet to be revealed.

Joshua Allen - Imeh Akpanudosen

Competitive Series: Bollywood stars Akshay Kumar, Karan Johar, Manish Malhotra and Malaika Arora are set to host the upcoming fashion entrepreneurship series “Pitch to Get Rich”. Dharmatic Entertainment produces the show, which premieres on Oct. 20.

“This series is not just entertainment, it’s a catalyst that brings fashion, business, and innovation together,” said Apoorva Mehta, CEO of Dharmatic Entertainment.

Joshua Allen, the winner of Season 4 So You Think You Can Dance, passed away on Sept. 30. Christina Price, Allen’s representative, confirmed his death, stating that he was struck and killed by a train near his home in Fort Worth, Texas.

“Joshua was a truly gifted dancer and actor, but more than that, he had an enormous heart. He inspired so many, gave back to others, and had a smile that could light up any room. I’m floored by this loss, and Joshua will be deeply missed,” Price shared in a statement.

Taylor Frankie Paul, star of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, has been announced as the next Bachelorette, marking a milestone in the franchise’s history. Unlike most of her predecessors, Paul never appeared on The Bachelor, instead rising to fame through her own reality TV series, where she openly navigated personal relationship struggles. While she once hoped to keep her romantic life private, Paul told CNN Entertainment that her journey ultimately led her to this opportunity.

“I would have never opened my relationship and my marriage. I feel like that was a disaster waiting to happen,” she said then. “I think announcing it to the world, I wish that hadn’t had to happen as well, but also it got us where we are today.”

The Traitors has won its second consecutive Emmy for Outstanding Reality Competition Program. As Peacock’s first top program winner last year, the series once again beat out major contenders like RuPaul’s Drag Race, The Amazing Race, and Survivor. This year, The Traitors took home a total of four awards at the event, bringing its overall tally to five for the year.

Sports: Netflix’s Physical: Asia has revealed the 48 contestants set to compete head-to-head in its upcoming season. For the first time, eight countries will compete in a test of strength and national pride, including Korea, Japan, and Thailand, all vying for a cash prize. Leading each nation’s team are the following anchors:

Korea: UFC trailblazer Dong-hyun "Stun Gun" Kim  

Japan: Yushin Okami, one of Asia's most decorated MMA fighters

Australia: Former UFC Middleweight Champion Robert "The Reaper" Whittaker

Philippines: Boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, the only eight-division world champion in history

Thailand: Muay Thai world champion Superbon.

Mongolia: Traditional wrestling star Orkhonbayar Bayarsaikhan

Türkiye: Four-time oil wrestling champion Recep Kara

Indonesia: Physique powerhouse I Igedz "Executioner"

NBC has officially announced the relaunch of NBCSN, set to return this fall. While a specific premiere date has not yet been revealed, NBCUniversal confirmed the move in line with its carriage deal with Google-owned YouTube TV.

NBCUniversal and Google have reached and Google have reached a long-term distribution agreement that will ensure that NBCU content continues to be available on YouTube TV. The deal applies to all NBCU networks, including CNBC, Golf Channel and USA Network.  Peacock will also be available through YouTube Primetime Channels, allowing viewers to stream across platforms.