‘Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!’ Reboot Ordered By Travel Channel; Bruce Campbell To Host

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! is making yet another return, 100 years after Robert L. Ripley launched the brand. Travel Channel is rebooting the iconic series, with Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead, Burn Notice) as host and executive producer.

Travel Channel has ordered 10 one-hour episodes of the series “that will showcase the most astonishing, real and one-of-a-kind stories,” according to the channel. Currently in production, the series will be shot on location at the famed Ripley Warehouse in Orlando, Florida, and will incorporate incredible stories from all parts of the globe — from Brazil to Baltimore. The series is slated to premiere in summer 2019.

“Travel Channel fans have an insatiable curiosity about the world and sharing this wonderful and weird series with the next generation of fans is a thrill,” says Jane Latman, general manager, Travel Channel. “This entirely new version of Ripley’s is a fresh contemporary approach to the odd and unusual and will be jam-packed with larger-than-life characters, cool facts, history and science.”

“Ripley’s Believe It or Not! has a long history of television shows, dating back to the first one hosted by Robert Ripley himself in 1949,” said Norm Deska, executive vice president of intellectual property, Ripley’s Believe It or Not!. “We could not be more excited to return to television in 2019 with an all-new show on the Travel Channel.”

The first Ripley’s Believe It or Not! series aired on NBC from 1949 to 1950, and was hosted by Robert L. Ripley until his death, after which several substitute hosts filled in. ABC revived the series in the 1980s with Jack Palance as the primary host. Another revival debuted on TBS in 2000, and aired until 2003, with Dean Cain as host. A Filipino version, hosted by Chris Tiu, debuted in 2008, and an animated series based on the Ripley’s franchise also was created.

Former Burn Notice star Campbell most recently was seen on AMC’s Lodge 49 and on Starz’s Ash vs. Evil Dead, reprising his Ash Williams role from Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead franchise.

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! is produced by Texas Crew Productions for Travel Channel. Brad Bernstein, David Karabinas, Ron Bowman and Bruce Campbell executive produce for Texas Crew. Daniel A. Schwartz executive produces For Travel Channel.

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