Lifetime Premieres New Drama "The Protector" Starring Ally Walker June 12 at 10 PM (ET/PT)

Series from ABC Studios Also Stars Tisha Campbell-Martin and Miguel Ferrer

LOS ANGELES, CA (Monday, May 23 2011) - Lifetime Television will premiere the all-new hour-long procedural drama series, The Protector, starring Ally Walker (Sons of Anarchy, Profiler) as a single mother and detective in the LAPD homicide division, on Sunday, June 12, at 10:00 PM ET/PT. Filmed in Los Angeles, the 13-episode series joins Lifetime's Sunday night line up, premiering immediately following the fifth season finale of Army Wives. For the remainder of the season, it will follow Drop Dead Diva, which premieres on Sunday, June 19, at 9 PM ET/PT. The series is produced by ABC Studios with the creative team of Jeffrey Bell (Angel, Alias), Nina Wass (Less than Perfect) and Gene Stein (Less than Perfect) serving as executive producers.

ABOUT THE PROTECTOR

The Protector centers on divorced mother Gloria Sheppard (Walker), who juggles her demanding personal and professional life as an intuitive LAPD homicide detective while raising two boys, Leo (Thomas Robinson, Heroes) and Nick (Sage Ryan, The Closer), with the live-in help of her troubled younger brother Davey (Chris Payne Gilbert, Dexter, Bones). The series also stars Tisha Campbell-Martin (Rita Rocks, My Wife and Kids) as Gloria's partner Michelle Dulcett, Miguel Ferrer (Crossing Jordan, Traffic) as their boss Lieutenant Felix Valdez and Terrel Tilford (One Life to Live) as police officer Ramon "Romeo" Rush.

Ally Walker has made her mark in both television and film. Her most notable role to date was that of Samantha Waters in Profiler, where she played a forensic psychologist with a dark past. Walker began her career starring in daytime's Emmy(R) winning Santa Barbara, followed by Cameron Crowe's cult classic Singles and the action flick, Universal Soldier. Her additional television credits include True Blue, Moon Over Miami, HBO's Tell Me You Love Me and most recently FX's Sons of Anarchy. Walker's big screen credits include Steal Big, Steal Little, While You Were Sleeping, Toe to Toe and Wonderful World.

Tisha Campbell-Martin's career spans acting, directing, producing and writing. She is best known for her role opposite Damon Wayans on the ABC hit series My Wife and Kids. Her other television credits include Martin, Lifetime's Rita Rocks, Everybody Hates Chris, Getting Personal, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, A Different World, Blossom, Roc, Links, The Sweetest Gift, All of Us and the upcoming Disney Channel Original Movie, Lemonade Mouth. Campbell-Martin's feature film credits include Little Shop of Horrors, School Daze, House Party (I, II, III), Another 48 Hrs., Homeward Bound, Boomerang and Sprung.

Miguel Ferrer is an actor that has consistently demonstrated his versatility. His film credits include Jonathan Demme's The Manchurian Candidate, John Sayles' Silver City, Robocop, Another Stakeout, Mulan, Revenge, Stephen King's The Night Flier, Where's Marlow?, The Harvest and Blank Check. On television he is best known for his portrayal of Dr. Garret Macy on Crossing Jordan. His additional TV credits include Twin Peaks, The Stand, The Bionic Woman, Drug Wars: The Camarena Story, Lateline and Will & Grace.

The Protector is produced by ABC Studios. Writer Jeffrey Bell (Angel, Alias), Nina Wass (Less than Perfect) and Gene Stein (Less than Perfect) are executive producers.

ABOUT ABC STUDIOS

ABC Studios develops and produces compelling programming for broadcast on ABC, as well as across television and digital platforms. The successful partnership between ABC Studios and ABC Entertainment has delivered some of the most successful, talked-about and evolutionary series on television today, including Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy and Brothers & Sisters.

ABOUT LIFETIME TELEVISION

Lifetime Television is committed to offering the highest quality entertainment and information programming, and advocating a wide range of issues affecting women and their families. Lifetime Television (R) , Lifetime Movie Network (R) , Lifetime Real Women (R) and Lifetime Digital(TM) (which includes myLifetime.com, LMN.tv, Lifetime Games, Roiworld.com, DressUpChallenge.com, MothersClick.com and LifetimeMoms.com) are part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, LLC, a subsidiary of A+E Networks. A+E Networks is a joint venture of the Disney-ABC Television Group, Hearst Corporation and NBC Universal.