"UnREAL" IS BACK AND THE LADIES REIGN SUPREME!

SEASON THREE OF "UnREAL" RETURNS FEBRUARY 26

Caitlin FitzGerald Joins Cast

Constance Zimmer Makes Directorial Debut

Shiri Appleby and Sarah Gertrude Shapiro Also Return as Directors

LOS ANGELES, CA (October 17, 2017) - Lifetime's critically-acclaimed series UnREAL (#UnREALTV) from A+E Studios makes its highly-anticipated return on Monday, February 26, 2018 at 10pm ET/PT. Caitlin FitzGerald (Masters of Sex, Rectify) takes the reins as Everlasting's female "suitress," Serena. Determined to have her pick of eager male suitors, Serena will face off with Everlasting's queen bees, producers Rachel Goldberg (Shiri Appleby) and Quinn King (Emmy-nominee Constance Zimmer) who are shaking things up, all for the sake of ratings. The ladies will be tempted more than ever when they're surrounded by hot new suitors including Bart Edwards (Peep Show, Fantastic Beast), Alex Hernandez (Chicago Med), Adam Demos (Aboriginal Heart, Cooped Up) and Alex Sparrow (Russia's Bachelor & Dancing with the Stars).

In following Lifetime's Broad Focus initiative, season three of UnREAL has an impressive roster of female directors including Appleby and co-creator Sarah Gertrude Shapiro returning and Zimmer making her directorial debut. Hanelle M. Culpepper (Empire, Quantico) and Sheree Folkson (Decoy Bride, Doctor Who) also join as directors.

Co-created by Shapiro and Marti Noxon, UnREAL gives a fictitious behind-the-scenes glimpse into the chaos surrounding the production of a dating competition program. Fan favorites Craig Bierko (Everlasting's creator, Chet), Josh Kelly (Jeremy, Everlasting's DP and Rachel's ex), Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman and Genevieve Buchner (Everlasting producers Jay and Madison) are all set to return. Brandon Jay McLaren (Ransom) joins the cast as the on-set psychologist, "Dr. Simon," Kassandra Clementi (Hatfields and McCoys) appears as Chet's new girlfriend, "Crystal," Chelsea Hobbs (Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce) is "Charlie," a talented new camera assistant and Jaime Callica (Wayward Pines) is "Xavier," a dancer and "Jay's" love interest.

UnREAL is executive produced by Shapiro and Stacy Rukeyser, who serves as showrunner. Robert M. Sertner, Sally DeSipio, Peter O'Fallon and David Solomon also executive produce, and Noxon serves as consulting producer. UnREAL is the first scripted series fully produced and distributed by A+E Studios. A+E Networks also handles global sales for UnREAL, which has been sold and airs in more than 100 territories.

UnREAL begins production on its fourth season this month in Vancouver.

ABOUT UnREAL

Set against the backdrop of the hit dating competition show Everlasting, UnREAL is led by flawed heroine Rachel Goldberg (Appleby), who serves as a lead producer, renowned for her skills manipulating her relationships with, and among, the contestants to get the vital dramatic and outrageous footage that the program's dispassionate executive producer, Quinn King (Zimmer), demands. What ensues once again is an eye-opening look at what happens in the outrageous world of unscripted television, where being a contestant can be vicious and being a producer is a whole other reality. Inspired by Shapiro's 2013 SXSW award-winning independent short film, Sequin Raze. UnREAL has been recognized with numerous awards and nominations to date including a Peabody, an AFI honor as a Television Program of the Year, a Gotham Award and a Critics' Choice Award for Constance Zimmer's 2015 performance. In addition, the series received two Emmy nominations, including "Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series" for Zimmer and "Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series" for Marti Nixon and Sarah Gertrude Shapiro. To date, the first two seasons average 4.2 million views across all available platforms. UnREAL is Lifetime's youngest scripted series ever, with a median age of 44.

ABOUT A+E STUDIOS

A+E Studios is the studio unit of the award-winning global media company A+E Networks, LLC. A+E Studios creates, produces and distributes high quality scripted programming across all networks and platforms in the A+E Networks portfolio, including Lifetime(R), History(R), Lifetime Movie(R), FYITM, and A&E IndieFilms(R). A+E Studios' slate of programming consists of scripted series, event series and movies, including the Peabody Award-winning UnREAL and upcoming Jenji Kohan- produced series American Princess for Lifetime; the event miniseries ROOTS, the hit action drama SIX, the upcoming series Knightfall, and the recently greenlighted series Blue Book for HISTORY, among others. Following its first full production year, A+E Studios received 16 Primetime Emmy(R) nominations including Outstanding Limited Series for ROOTS.

ABOUT LIFETIME

Lifetime is a premier entertainment destination for women dedicated to offering the highest quality original programming spanning scripted series, non-fiction series and movies. The critically acclaimed UnREAL, Project Runway, Dance Moms, Bring It!, The Rap Game, Married at First Sight and Little Women franchises anchor the network's programming, in addition to its over 25 original movies annually that continue to define the TV movie genre. In 2015, Lifetime launched Broad Focus, a major global initiative dedicated to supporting and hiring female directors, writers and producers to make its content which totals over 450 original hours. Lifetime Television(R), LMN(R), Lifetime Real Women(R) and Lifetime Digital(TM) 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 and Hearst Corporation.