Rachel Nichols is taking her talents to Showtime: The veteran NBA reporter is leaving ESPN to join Showtime as a host and producer for the network’s basketball coverage.
Nichols “will contribute to multiple programs and projects from Showtime Basketball across multiple platforms,” per the network. She also appeared on the video podcast All the Smoke With Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson to announce the move.
Nichols covered the NBA for ESPN since joining the network in 2004, but she stirred controversy last year when private comments she made about former colleague Maria Taylor leaked, implying that Taylor, who is Black, only got to host ESPN’s NBA Finals coverage because the network was “feeling pressure about” their “crappy longtime record on diversity.” Nichols apologized, but was later removed from the network’s NBA coverage, with her daily news show The Jump being cancelled as well. (Taylor left ESPN soon after to join NBC Sports.)
Ready for some more recent newsy nuggets? Well…
* Emma Samms will reprise her General Hospital role as Holly Sutton, beginning Wednesday, Oct. 19, Soap Opera Digest reports.
* Echo 3, Apple TV+’s action-thriller created by Academy Award-winner Mark Boal (The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty) and starring Luke Evans and Michiel Huisman, will premiere with its first three episodes on Wednesday, Nov. 23, followed by weekly releases every Friday through Jan. 13, 2023.
* Criss Angel’s Magic With the Stars (premiering Saturday, Oct. 22 on The CW) has tapped series creator Criss Angel, comedian Loni Love and magician Lance Burton as judges, while comedian Eddie Griffin will serve as host. Celebrity guests include Donny Osmond, Frankie Muniz, Brec Bassinger, Debbie Gibson, Matt Walsh, Flavor Flav, Randy Couture, Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski.
* Alice Braga (Queen of the South) and Jimmi Simpson (Westworld) have joined Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly in Apple TV+’s series adaptation of Blake Crouch’s novel Dark Matter, our sister site Variety reports.
Which of today’s TVLine Items pique your interest?