HOLIDAY SEQUEL "DOLLY PARTON'S CHRISTMAS OF MANY COLORS: CIRCLE OF LOVE" SET FOR 2016 RETURN

Heartwarming Story of Country Legend Singer's Young Life Continues With Original Cast

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - May 11, 2016 - Coming off the phenomenal performance of last year's holiday special and looking to recapture the enthusiasm of the nearly 16 million viewers who tuned in, NBC is announcing the sequel "Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love."

"Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love" is the next chapter in the life of young Dolly Parton. The film delivers Christmas joy and peril as an unexpected blizzard threatens the Parton family, while at the same time Dolly's father (and his kids) make sacrifices to raise enough money to finally buy his loving wife the wedding ring he could never afford to give her. Meanwhile, an important person in little Dolly's life begins to see that her amazing voice and musical gift might just be made for something bigger than rural Tennessee.

The original cast will return for the sequel: Jennifer Nettles as Avie Lee Parton, Ricky Schroder as Robert Lee Parton, Gerald McRaney as Rev. Jake Owens and Alyvia Alyn Lind as young Dolly Parton. Other members of the cast, as well as a premiere date, will be announced in the coming months.

Stephen Herek, who directed the original film, is also back to direct the sequel.

"It's no secret that everyone loves Dolly Parton and the response to our first movie was overwhelming, both in terms of the size of the audience and outpouring of love for a film with family values and faith," said Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment. "So it felt like a no-brainer to bring this talented cast back together and tell another compelling holiday story culled from Dolly's own life growing up in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. Her spirit and belief in God - and her music - will infuse this movie with the true spirit of Dolly Parton."

"I was so overwhelmed and touched by how many people watched 'Coat of Many Colors' and their reaction to it," Parton said. "The song 'Coat of Many Colors,' of course, has always been my favorite and has touched so many people through the years, especially me. It is a true story from a very special time in my childhood. I am so happy to share this story with the viewers and to say there is so much more to tell because mine truly has been a life of many colors. I hope the viewers will fall in love all over again."

In L+7 results from Nielsen Media Research, the Dec. 10 telecast of "Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors" generated a 2.45 rating in adults 18-49 and 15.9 million viewers overall, making it the most-watched film on broadcast or cable in nearly seven years. The film's increases from live plus same day to L+7 Nielsens are the largest L+7 time-shifted increase ever for a primetime movie on the broadcast networks.

"Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love" is written by Pamela K. Long. She executive produces with Sam Haskell and Dolly Parton. The film is a production of Magnolia Hill Entertainment and Dixie Pixie Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.

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