Behind the Scenes Buzz

WHOOPI GOLDBERG TO ADAPT ROMANIAN GAMESHOW: Romania’s Win Your Country gameshow is about to be imported to the U.S. by Whoopi Goldberg, via her One Hoe Productions and 44 Blue Productions. The series pits contentestants against their knowledge of history. “We have produced two critically acclaimed series with Whoopi and are always looking for exciting new content to create together,” said 44 Blue’s Noonan Drachkovitch. “When we saw Small World‘s Win Your Country!, we knew it would be a perfect fit for Whoopi’s brand of topical humor and family fun. The format couldn’t be more relevant, and we look forward to bringing it to the U.S.” Are you ready for another gameshow?

JERRY SPRINGER IS COMING BACK TO TV: Get ready for Judge Jerry, America! Former talk show host Jerry Springer is coming back to daytime syndication with NBC. Springer will pick up a gavel and hit the bench in a new first-run half-hour court show set to debut in the fall of 2019. Springer has a J.D. degree from Northwestern University and worked for two law firms prior to entering TV. The Jerry Springer Show ended this summer after 27 seasons.

PIRATES SCRIBE APOLOGIZES FOR RACIST TWEET: Disney screenwriter Terry Rossio is apologizing for a tweet in which he deployed the N-word, likening it to the term “anti-vax”. The Aladdin and Pirates scribe apologized, writing: “In a recent Twitter post, arguing against stereotyping and hate speech, I referenced the ‘n-word’ (the actual word) as an example of what not to do. That was a mistake. I am sorry. I now understand that the word has no place in any conversation, ever. You can’t make a point against hate speech and reference actual words of hate speech. That was insensitive and ignorant. I am immediately deleting the post to remove that toxic word from the internet, where it should never appear in any context. As the mistake was mine alone, this apology is also mine alone. A deeply felt apology to all. I continue to stand against hate speech and dehumanizing labels in any form.”

GREG KINNEAR TO PLAY BOB HOPE IN MISBEHAVIOUR: Greg Kinnear is joining Keira Knightley, Lesley Manville and Keeley Hawes in a dramedy about the disrupted Miss World contest in 1970. The film tells the story of the Women’s Liberation Movement‘s famous stage-storming during the live broadcast. Hope (Kinnear) hosted the event. BAFTA winner Philippa Lowthorpe (Three Girls) is set to direct.