‘Makeover’ to salute military families
‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” will salute military families in a Veterans Day fundraising special featuring stars including Jewel, Whoopi Goldberg and Robin Williams.
The hourlong ABC special, airing Nov. 11 at 8 p.m., will focus on issues faced by veterans and highlight the skills they can bring to the workforce and their communities, the network and the charitable Entertainment Industry Foundation announced.
The special, subtitled “Rise and Honor,” also will look back at episodes of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” that helped military families in need and the many volunteers from the armed forces who took part in rebuilding houses.
Jewel, who is co-hosting with “Extreme Makeover” regular Ty Pennington, also will sing.
“We want everyone to pitch in,” she said in a statement. “We don’t want the veterans to feel forgotten. Through their struggles, illness, post-traumatic stress disorder and a tough economy, we’re here to let them know they’re still supported.”
Celebrities will ask viewers to donate by phone and online to groups that support military veterans. Those scheduled to take part include George Lopez, J.R. Martinez, Rachael Ray, Sherri Shepherd and Major League Baseball players Daniel Murphy, Shane Victorino and Clay Buchholz.
Contributions will go to the Fisher House Foundation, Hire Heroes USA, Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, USO, Volunteers of America and Welcome Back Veterans.
Lifetime wants ‘AMW’
John Walsh will be back on the air next month with weekly editions of “America’s Most Wanted.”
The crime-fighting series will return for its 25th season Dec. 2 at 9 p.m. on the Lifetime cable network. Lifetime has ordered 20 weekly hour-long episodes.
Walsh remains the host of the criminal roundup, which since 1988 has helped bring almost 1,200 fugitives to justice. His 6-year-old son, Adam, was kidnapped and killed in 1981.
Until June, “America’s Most Wanted” had been a fixture on the Fox network. But last spring Fox announced it was axing the series because of high production costs.
CNN boosts Soledad
CNN is remaking its morning lineup, returning Soledad O’Brien to a prominent role.
The network says O’Brien will host a conversational ensemble show from 7 to 9 a.m. None of the other ensemble members were announced.
Both of CNN’s cable rivals, Fox News Channel and MSNBC, have successful morning conversation shows with “Fox and Friends” and “Morning Joe.”
O’Brien has been making documentaries for CNN since her last hitch on a morning show there.
Ashleigh Banfield and Zoraida Sambolin will host a preceding show airing from 5 to 7 a.m.