Food Network and Robert Irvine Agree to New Multi-Year, Multi-Platform Deal
Agreement Includes New Spinoff Restaurant Impossible: Back in Business, New Episodes of Restaurant: Impossible and Additional Content Across Linear and Digital Platforms
July 17, 2020
FOOD NETWORK AND ROBERT IRVINE AGREE TO NEW MULTI-YEAR, MULTI-PLATFORM DEAL
Agreement Includes New Spinoff Restaurant Impossible: Back in Business, New Episodes of Restaurant: Impossible and Additional Content Across Linear and Digital Platforms
NEW YORK – July 17, 2020 - World class chef, cookbook author and philanthropist, Robert Irvine has struck a new multi-year deal with Food Network, it was announced today by Courtney White, President, Food Network. This two-year deal includes new episodes of the long-running, hit show Restaurant: Impossible, as well as additional content developed by Robert Irvine across the Discovery portfolio, with mid and short-form projects for both linear and digital platforms, including the Food Network Kitchen app. A culinary staple of Food Network, Robert will also continue his quest to help struggling restaurant owners across the country in the new spinoff series Restaurant Impossible: Back in Business, which premieres Thursday, July 30th at 9pm ET/PT. In the aforementioned series, Irvine helps previously featured restaurants affected by the current pandemic. The series will be accompanied by an all-new after show with Robert and other members of the RI family going behind-the-scenes of each episode and answering questions from fans. The most recent season of Restaurant: Impossible has been a hit with fans both on-air and online with L3 ratings up double-digits for P25-54, W25-54, and up triple-digits for M25-54 vs. year ago benchmarks, and social media interactions up 25% vs last season. Complementary content for the series has garnered over five million video views across social media platforms to date, with #RestaurantImpossible trending on Twitter during seven of the season’s 10 premieres.
“Robert Irvine’s tireless commitment to helping restaurant owners in need, along with his passion and support for service members and first responders has made Robert a fan favorite over the years,” said White. “I could not be more excited for Robert to remain in the Food Network family, as he continues to captivate viewers with the Restaurant: Impossible franchise, along with delivering future projects that are sure to help and inspire.”
"I'm beyond grateful to have had Food Network as my professional home for so many years - and positively thrilled that our partnership will continue for the foreseeable future,” said Irvine. “The biggest thanks, however, I reserve for our fans, whose enthusiasm and support make it all possible. We have a lot of work to do, with more restaurants than ever needing a helping hand. Now let's get to work!"
Robert Irvine is a chef and entrepreneur, best known for his work as host of Restaurant: Impossible on Food Network, which is now airing in its 17th season. As a philanthropist focusing on veterans’ and first responder’s issues, he created the Robert Irvine Foundation to support service members, veterans, and first responders, including those wounded, ill or injured, through resiliency, health and wellness support programs and their families in need, including caregivers of wounded service members as well as support of surviving family members. Robert has hosted or appeared on Food Network’s Dinner: Impossible, Worst Cooks in America, Next Iron Chef, Restaurant Express, Chopped: Impossible, Guy’s Grocery Games: Impossible, A Hero’s Welcome, among others. Robert is also the author of four cookbooks, the most recent of which, Family Table, serves as a guide for bringing families back together around the dinner table. Robert launched Robert Irvine Magazine, a free digital magazine focusing on healthy recipes, fitness advice, and motivation for success in all areas of life.
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FOOD NETWORK (www.foodnetwork.com) is a unique lifestyle network, website and magazine that connects viewers to the power and joy of food. The network strives to be viewers' best friend in food and is committed to leading by teaching, inspiring, empowering and entertaining through its talent and expertise. Food Network is distributed to nearly 100 million U.S. households and draws over 46 million unique web users monthly. Since launching in 2009, Food Network Magazine's rate base has grown 13 times and is the No. 2 best-selling monthly magazine on the newsstand, with 13.5 million readers. Food Network is owned by Discovery, Inc., a global leader in real life entertainment spanning 220 countries and territories; the portfolio also includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, TLC, Investigation Discovery, and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.