Fox Television Stations will test a new talk show titled “The Preachers,” and described as faith-based as you would assume, produced by Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution.
Hosted by John Gray (associate pastor at Joel Ostend’s Lakewood Church in Houston), Dr. E. Dewey Smith Jr. (senior pastor at The House of Hope in Atlanta and Macon, Ga.), Orrick Quick (pastor and founder of God Seekers Church in High Point, N.C.) and Dr. Jamal Bryant (pastor and founder of Empowerment Temple AME Church in Baltimore), the stations will air the new show for three weeks, starting July 11.
Bill Geddie, co-founder and former executive producer of ABC’s “The View,” will executive produce with former NBC executive Jeff Gaspin and Andrew Glassman.
“After ‘The View,’ I figured I’d never do another panel show, but these preachers knocked me off my feet,” said Geddie in a statement. “They’re not just another set of talking heads yakking about the events of the day; they bring real-world experience as pastors and counselors. They have a unique spiritual take on things, and they’re funny as hell…I mean, heck!”
“The Preachers” will join another upcoming faith-based talk show hosted by T.D. Jakes, coming this fall, also set for Fox stations.
“We are thrilled to continue our ongoing relationship with Fox. This latest endeavor features new faces and fresh voices with a unique point of view that is currently not on TV,” said Ken Werner, president, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution.
Scripted faith-based projects for the big and small screen are certainly growing in popularity, so why not talk shows. In case you haven’t been paying attention, there’s money to be made with faith-based projects, as more and more producers and studios take on material that targets that specific demographic. With the box office successes of recent films like “Heaven Is for Real” and “Miracles from Heaven” (both co-produced by Jakes), and “War Room,” as well as TV ratings hits like “The Bible Series,” “Son of God,” and “AD,” it’s probably a very good time for filmmakers/content creators with faith-based projects primed for the big or small screens. Hence, more and more similar releases should be expected.
Watch an interview with “The Preachers” below:
