‘Degrassi: The Next Generation’ Cast To Reunite At ATX TV Festival (TV News Roundup)

ATX Television Festival, taking place virtually from June 11 to 20, will feature a “Degrassi: The Next Generation” reunion panel.

Marking 20 years since the series premiere, the panel will feature cast members Aislinn Paul, Shane Kippel, Luke Bilyk, Lauren Collins, Munro Chambers, Jake Epstein, Daniel Clark, Andrea Lewis and Christina Schmidt, as well as co-creator and executive producer Linda Schuyler, executive producer Stephen Stohn and producer-director Stefan Brogren.

Panelists will celebrate the show’s 14-season run as they revisit storylines, tell behind-the-scenes stories and more.

ATX TV Festival, presented by Tubi, also announced “Channel Changers” conversation with top HBO executives, as well as finale panels for “Younger” and “The Bold Type.”

Also in today’s TV news roundup:

DATES

The History Channel announced that “Alone” will return for Season 8 on June 3. The hit survival series will place contestants on the shores of Chilko Lake, British Columbia, home to one of the world’s densest grizzly bear populations. Ten survivalists are dropped off in undisclosed, remote locations with 10 survival tools and enough camera equipment to self-document their experiences. The contestant who endures the brutal weather, deadly predators and complete isolation the longest will win $500,000. “Alone” is produced for the History Channel by Leftfield Pictures, with Shawn Witt, Gretchen Palek, Ryan Pender, Dan Bree and Zachary Behr serving as executive producers.

Disney Plus announced that “Good Morning America” and ABC News co-anchor Robin Roberts will host and executive produce her own four-episode series called “Turning the Tables With Robin Roberts,” which will premiere on July 30. Each episode will feature an intimate round table conversation with three female celebrities from all walks of life. Guests include Debbie Allen, Sofia Carson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jenna Dewan, Sheila E., Melissa Etheridge, Mickey Guyton, Betsey Johnson, Billie Jean King, Tig Notaro, Raven-Symoné and Josie Totah. LeBron James will serve as an executive producer on the series with his entertainment brand The SpringHill Company. In addition to Roberts and James, executive producers are John R. Green and Reni Calister from Rock’n Robin Productions and Maverick Carter, Jamal Henderson and Philip Byron from The SpringHill Company, with Kadine Anckle as showrunner.

PROGRAMMING

Returning for its 34th season, “POV” will be back on the PBS schedule July 5 with writer-comedian CJ Hunt’s “The Neutral Ground.” This documentary, which will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, begins in 2015 with Hunt filming the New Orleans City Council vote to remove four Confederate monuments. When the removal is halted because of death threats, Hunt sets out to understand why a losing army from 1865 continues to have so much power in America. But it is just the first in the new season’s lineup of stories about artists, activists, elders, comedians, frontline workers and politicians from around the globe. The following week, on July 12, will bring Tribeca selection “Landfall” to “POV.” “Landfall” dives into the shard-like glimpses of a post-Hurricane María Puerto Rico and examines a transformed world. The Cecilia Aldarondo-directed film won the grand jury prize for best documentary at DOC NYC film festival. From there, “Stateless” will broadcast July 19, telling the story of an attorney who advocates for Dominicans of Haitian descent who have been stripped of their citizenship. Michèle Stephenson’s documentary is also part of the Tribeca Film Festival lineup and won the special jury prize at Hot Docs Film Festival. From director David Osit, “Mayor” will air July 26. It follows Musa Hadid over the course of two years, who serves as the mayor of Ramallah, the de facto capital of Palestine. It won the grand jury award at Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. “Pier Kids,” from director Elegance Bratton, will be on PBS on Aug. 2. The winner of the Independent Spirit Award’s Truer Than Fiction prize, it sees queer and trans youth of color in New York City make the Christopher Street Pier their own. On Aug. 30, “The Song of the Butterflies” captures Rember, an Indigenous artist in Peru, and his journey home to the Amazonian land of his ancestors. Coming from director, Núria Frigola Torrent, the documentary won best Ibero-American documentary at the Guadalajara International Film Festival. “Fruits of Labor” will premiere on Oct. 4 and scopes in on a Mexican-American teen in central California who goes to work when ICE raids threaten her family. Emily Cohen Ibañez’ film was an official selection at this year’s SXSW Film Festival. From director Oscar Molina, “La Casa de Mama Icha” centers on the eponymous Mama Icha and her return home to Colombia where she finds heartbreak and joy after decades in the United States. It will broadcast Oct. 18. “North by Current” focuses on its director, Angelo Madsen Minax, and his return home to rural Michigan in the wake of his niece’s death. The documentary, an official selection at Tribeca, will air Nov. 1. Coming Dec. 27, “Unapologetic” chronicles Black abolitionists’ fight to hold Chicago officials accountable after two police killings. The Ashley O’Shay-direct film won the Breakthrough Award at Athena Film Festival. “On the Divide” is set for Spring 2022. Directed by Maya Cueva and Leah Galant, the documentary recounts the intersection of the lives of three Latinx people at the last abortion clinic on the border.

EVENTS

YouTube creators Shalom Blac, Camila Coelho, Alex Costa, Nailea Devora, Christen Dominique, Kandee Johnson, Rosy McMichael, Nikita Dragun, NikkieTutorials, Desi Perkins, Addison Rae, Bailey Sarian, Liah Yoo as well as beauty professionals and celebrities Anna Akana, Chris Appleton, Jen Atkin, Violet Chachki, Selena Gomez, Ashley Graham, Gwyneth Paltrow, Gucci Westman have been added to the “YouTube Beauty Festival,” which will stream live on May 14 starting at 4 p.m. ET.

Previously announced guests for the summit-style event include YouTube creators Noah Beck, Emma Chamberlain, Sylvia Gani, Asia Jackson, Manny MUA, Michelle Phan, Patrick Starrr, Hyram Yarbro; and beauty professionals and celebrities Jessica Alba, Millie Bobby Brown, Bob the Drag Queen, Monét X Change (who will make a special announcement), Miranda Kerr, Paris Hilton and Pharrell Williams. Hosted by YouTube’s Head of Fashion and Beauty Derek Blasberg, YouTube’s Head of Beauty Creators Chanel Tyler and Head of Culture of Trends Kevin Allocca will also join the event.

“YouTube Beauty Festival” is produced by Studio Sabia, with Greg T. Gordon as showrunner, Joe Sabia as creative director, Azra Sudetic as associate creative director, Lexi Tannenholtz as producer and Drigan Lee as lead editor. Susanne Daniels serves as the global head of original content for YouTube. Alex Piper, head of unscripted for YouTube Originals, Lauren Celinski, development lead and Ali Schwartz, development executive will oversee the event.

ACQUISITIONS

Educational streaming service Wondrium has acquired “Breaking Their Silence,” the 2019 documentary centered around women fighting against poaching. The film, which focuses on wildlife trafficking and poaching through the eyes of the brave women working to end it, is written, directed and produced by Kerry David.

LATE NIGHT

Daniel Dae Kim, Julianna Margulies and Amythyst Kiah will be on “Jimmy Kimmel Live”; The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” will have on Marc Maron, Jessica Alba and Sech, and “Late Night With Seth Meyers” will feature Ziwe, Christopher Meloni, Mariska Hargitay, Foo Fighters and Mario Duplantier.

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