CMT is joining the late-night fray and getting back into the scripted space.
The Viacom-owned cable network announced Thursday that it has ordered its first-ever nightly talk show, handing out a series pickup to The Josh Wolf Show, while also green-lighting four other new series including a scripted comedy starring Billy Ray Cyrus and unscripted series featuring Kellie Pickler and YouTube breakout Ed Bassmaster.
Scripted comedy Still the King will star Cyrus as Vernon Brown, a scandal-ridden washed-up one-hit wonder who is kicked out of country music only to emerge 20 years later as the second-best Elvis impersonator in Laughlin, Nevada. After crashing into a church outside of Nashville during a drunken bender, he’s sentenced to return and perform community service. Along the way, he pretends to be the congregation’s new minister and discovers he has a 15-year-old daughter he’s never met. The series, which does not yet have a premiere date, hails from Hideout Pictures, with Cyrus serving as a writer and exec producer.Shannon Houchins, Potsy Ponciroli and Travis Nicholson also executive produce, while Julia Silverton and Dinsmore oversee for CMT. Still the King marks CMT’s second scripted series and follows the short-lived Melissa Peterman sitcom Working Class.
