MUMBAI: Action oriented AXN is looking to move beyond mere thrills and spills by introducing lifestyle shows in the late night band.
To this end, the channel will kick off the 11 pm Hot 'n' wild initiative from Tuesday at 11 pm. It includes two shows Wild On and Are You Hot? These will premiere on 3 June and 4 June. The shows promise to give the likes of Miss Universe a run for its money .
'Are You Hot?' - AXN gets a shade bolder
Are You Hot ? is the brain of makers of reality themed The Bachelor. Co-executive producer Scott Einziger has been quoted in a report as saying that the show came up on account of the US' obsession with rating the looks of people. Televised in the format of a pageant, the show lines up some of the sexiest men and women in America to compete for the title of the Sexiest man and woman in the US. Judges including former super model Rachel Hunter, actor Lorenzo Lamas, and fashion designer Randolph Duke determine the fate of the hopefuls. Expect to see plenty of attractive faces, bodies to die for. This airs every Wednesday.
The show has apparently had its share of troubles too. In March this year, Howard Stern filed a lawsuit against ABC and Telepictures Productions, claiming that the series was a knock off of his series The Evaluators which airs on his radio show and airs on E! Entertainment Television.
'Wild On' host Brooke Burke - can she hook the Indian viewer?
Coming back to AXN, the other show Wild On will be hosted by model Brooke Burke who is known in the US for the popular magazine show E! Rank. Viewers journey around the world in search of some of the most exotic, beautiful and adventure-filled locations. Burke travels to Australia, The Philippines, New York City, Rio and Canada, among other attractive locales.
Viewers can gape not just at Burke but also at her friends as they check out the food, people and the nightlife that gives each destination its unique flair and face experiences along the way. It will air every Tuesday and Thursday.
Explaining the logic behind the programme initiative AXN Asia's Asst. VP, Sales & Marketing Rohit Bhandari said, "AXN is always looking at ways to keep the channel fresh and exciting for our viewers. In April we introduced the 10 pm Prime Zone, wherein we premiered award-winning dramas like 24 and CSI which required serious viewing."
He adds, "Now, it's time for some fun and light-hearted entertainment with lots of glamour thrown in! Are you Hot and Wild On, the first of our shows premiering on the new 11pm Hot N' Wild time zone are just that and more! Both the series are 'lifestyle shows' and viewers are going to love them. The shows have become hugely popular in the United States and we are sure of continuing the trend here especially since we have a huge surprise up our sleeves for our Indian audiences."
This is not all. The new 11pm Hot 'n' Wild effort also includes new episodes of the news based show Rated X every Monday. This keeps the viewer up to speed with the latest events in Hollywood including award ceremonies, new deals signed. On Friday, the film buff can check out films with a twist under the initiative Movie Uncut. This month, films that will air include Wild Things and Sheena.
Keep an eye on this space for further buzz on AXN!
