Project Runway Lawsuit Settles, Will Move To Lifetime

NEW YORK — After months in limbo, "Project Runway" has a new home at Lifetime.

The popular design-competition series that aired for five seasons on the Bravo network had been mired in a legal struggle involving NBC Universal, which owns Bravo, the Weinstein Co. and the Lifetime channel.

The dispute began last April when NBC Universal sued Weinstein after the production company made a reported $150 million deal with Lifetime for the series that features supermodel Heidi Klum as host.

The lawsuit has been settled. In a statement issued Wednesday, NBC Universal said Weinstein will pay the media company "for the right to move `Project Runway' to Lifetime. All parties are pleased with the outcome.'"

The show's sixth season _ which has already been taped _ will air this summer on the female-centric channel, said Lifetime CEO Andrea Wong.

In a statement, Wong called Lifetime "the perfect home" for the series. She said the network was "thrilled" to proceed with Klum, mentor Tim Gunn, and judges Nina Garcia and Michael Kors.

"Project Runway" had been a huge success for Bravo. The sew-off show, which debuted in 2004, became water cooler TV in part because of its intense challenges and creative contestants with strong personalities that rivaled their daring designs.

The show jump-started Bravo's evolution to the reality brand behind such addictive fare as "Top Chef," "Millionaire Matchmatcher" and the "Real Housewives" franchise. Bravo will air its new sartorial series "The Fashion Show," with judges Isaac Mizrahi and Kelly Rowland, on May 7.

Last September, a New York Supreme Court justice issued a temporary injunction preventing Weinstein from taking "Runway" or any spinoff to Lifetime and contended that evidence showed that Weinstein violated NBC's "right of first refusal" for the show.

Weinstein has said there was no right of first refusal in the contract and that NBC Universal was offered the deal and was outbid.

Comments

[TheyCalledMeSandN]

eeek. I will have to turn on lifetime! how embarrassing.

[live-aloha]

MAKE IT WORK!

[Peridolius]

Lifetime is a joke, it's all housewives and romance novels. Project Runway will fit into their lineup like like Margaret Cho at a Mormon bible study class.

[murphysgirl]

I was hoping that Project Runway would return to its rightful home at Bravo. I just feel bad for the aspiring designers who didn't get to display their designs in a timely fashion.

[mlaiuppa]

Well, that's too bad.

I'm going to miss Project Runway on Bravo.

[losangelian1]

Me too.

I also heard it was shot in Los Angeles instead of New York. That doesn't seem right.

[PoliticalAmazon]

Hoo-Hoooo!

Yesterday was a happy day for me. PR settled its lawsuit with Bravo AND Discovery started advertising for the next season of Deadliest Catch, which starts in a couple of weeks!

[bunnylogic]

Finally! I can't wait to see the new season! Lifestyle Shmitestyle - who cares - the fans will watch it wherever it's showing.

[PoliticalAmazon]

They already have a complete season in the can, ready to go, so hopefully they can start the PR season pretty soon.

[CosmicIrony]

Yeah! Love that show - we named our kittens Heidi and Gunn in their honor.

I Tivo the show, so as long as Lifetime starts the show on time, I'm happy.

One thing we love about this show (and Top Chef) is that the contestants actually make something. Now we need a show about metalsmiths! Blacksmithing one week, silversmithing the next - now that would be awesome!

[berryessence]

I WOULD LIKE THAT SHOW!

MY GREAT GRANDFATHER WAS A BLACKSMITH

[deltaverde]

The "female centric" Lifetime channel is a better home for PR than the "gay centric" Bravo? Not so much. I doubt the Weinsteins' will let them screw it up, though.

[robk06825]

Project Runway was one of my favorite shows on Bravo. Now that it's moving to Lifetime, I hope Lifetime doesn't ruin it. I've tried to watch some of their reality shows and they were terrible.

If there is anyone reading this post that works for Lifetime, please pass this on, don't mess up this show. Don't touch it, just air it.

[piquet]

I agree...I'm not Lifetime watcher but am a PR fan. A few questions for Lifetime watchers...
Do they incessantly promote their other shows while programming is on? Honestly I'm over Bravo doing that. Even for someone with A.D.D. as myself. It's kind of to the point of ridiculous.
Are they a creative network? Because PR could use a wash. The look and feel and challenges can use a couple of NEW ideas.
I know I may get creamed for this...But I think Heidi has to go. She's vacuous, arrogant and her conceit is off putting. Nothing is more beautiful than humility on blessed people. I have seen her in like 3 interviews one on Oprah with her very gracious husband Seal. It was almost awkward listening to her speak of herself in a way that was deific(word?) at best. There are a lot of "beautiful" personalities out there that could bring that show to a whole new level.

[QueenCeleste]

Well, thank God for that. I have been having Tim Gunn withdrawals for months!

[MsLiz]

Fierce!

[Monrocsol]

That fierce guy looked like a mosquito.

[damali]

did typing that make you feel better about yourself? i swear i'll never understand people's need to randomly insult/criticize other people's looks.

[ianmcc]

Yuck, Lifetime is like the Walmart channel of tv, full of useless crap of poor quality. There is no way I will transition to watch PR on that crappy "women in peril movie of the day" network. I strongly suspect that PR's ratings will begin to suffer once the transition takes place as some fans like myself won't go to the other network to watch and it's already in it's sixth season. Most shows ratings (with the exception of NCIS) tend to start to go down at this point.

[tavote08]

Totally agree, luv NCIS too...

[MightyMeno]

Agreed. Lifetime, home of the "Victim of the Week" made-for-TV movies, is so lame. PR will become pablum, pasty and boring ... this can't be good.

[dadw5boys]

Well as long as some people have jobs I guess the world is saved.

The Fashion Industry supports millions of people in every country.

. SHOE SALE !!!!!!

[kindofannoying]

Thank god. Now we can get on with out lives. This one has really been weighing on me lately.