LINGO Goes Into Production for Its Sixth Season, Marking a First for GSN, the Network for Games

Legendary Game Show Host Chuck Woolery Returns With Co-Host Shandi Finnessey at His Side

Winners From GSN's Online Interactive Game Will Face Off Against Champions From Previous Seasons in Four Special Episodes

PASADENA, Calif., Jan. 12 -- LINGO will go into production on its sixth season next month, making it the first original series ever to be picked up for a sixth season at GSN, the network for games. Legendary host Chuck Woolery returns with co-host Shandi Finnessey by his side. The sixth season will premiere Monday, April 2 and will air Monday through Friday 7:30-8:00 PM, ET.

Host Woolery is known by audiences worldwide for such popular classics as "Love Connection" and "Greed," both of which air on GSN, in addition to "Scrabble" and the first seven years of "Wheel of Fortune." Co-host Finnessey (Miss USA 2004) is a published children's book author of "The Furrtails," which was developed to promote the inclusion of individuals with mental challenges. Originally from Florissant, Missouri, Finnessey is an honors graduate of Lindenwood University where she received a degree in psychology. In her spare time, Finnessey works with many charities across the country.

During the first two rounds of LINGO, two teams of two contestants compete to see who can guess the most mystery five-letter words. When a team guesses a word correctly, they earn points toward the right to blindly select two numbered balls out of the 24 balls whose numbers match those on the team's bingo-style Lingo board.

When the team succeeds in getting five numbers in a row (horizontally, vertically or diagonally), they achieve "Lingo" and win additional points. The goal of the game during the first two rounds is to earn points -- the higher-scoring team moves onto the final round where they attempt to correctly identify as many words as they can in two minutes. They earn $100 and the right to pick one Lingo ball for each word they guess correctly. If the team achieves Lingo, they win $5,000. If they achieve Lingo with their first ball pulled, they win $10,000 and the progressive jackpot, if applicable. The progressive LINGO jackpot is won every time a winning team gets "Lingo" on the first ball. The jackpot starts at $10,000 and grows by $1,000 each time it's not won.

The new season will also feature a series of episodes in which the champions of GSN's online LINGO game face off against the best players from previous television episodes.

LINGO is produced by Laurelwood Entertainment. Phil Gurin ("The Weakest Link") and Marc Jansen serve as executive producers.

GSN is the entertainment industry leader in multi-platform interactive game programs. As the premier television network for games, GSN features challenging word games, high intensity casino programs, live participation shows, reality series and documentaries. GSN's programming includes original series such as "Chain Reaction," "Lingo" and "High Stakes Poker," as well as classics "Jeopardy" and "Pyramid." The network also boasts America's first live participation TV program "PlayMania," which airs in late-night six times a week. Complementing the network, GSN.com features all types of game play: innovative Flash games for fun, skill cash game tournaments and downloadable games. The website also features GSN's two-screen interactive play-along for prime time shows. Now reaching more than 62 million Nielsen homes, GSN is distributed in the U.S. through all major cable systems and satellite providers. The network is jointly owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment and Liberty Media Corporation. For further media information, visit GSN's press website at corp.gsn.com.

Laurelwood Entertainment is a full service production company with credits including reality, game, variety, holiday specials, magazine shows and documentaries. Owner Phil Gurin recently produced his second year of New Years Eve on FOX, with Cat Deeley hosting. He is producing the upcoming variety game on ABC, "Wanna Bet?" and is in his fifth year as executive producer of the high-profile "Miss Universe," "Miss USA" and "Miss Teen USA" pageants for Donald Trump and NBC. Gurin also produced the TV Guide Channel red carpet shows with Joan and Melissa Rivers for the Grammys, Golden Globes, SAG and Academy Awards. Additionally, he served as executive producer on NBC's "Weakest Link," "Twenty One" and the "United States Olympic Hall of Fame 2006" special. Gurin's credits also include "Test the Nation" reality specials, a new version of the classic reality show "Queen for a Day" and Lifetime's 5th Anniversary Special.

-GSN '07-

SOURCE GSN
http://corp.gsn.com http://www.GSN.com