MICHAEL McKEAN IS ON A MISSION TO UNCOVER CULINARY MYTHS AND AGE-OLD ADAGES ON NEW SEASON OF "FOOD: FACT OR FICTION?"

New Season Premieres Monday, October 1st at 10:00pm ET/7:00pm PT on Cooking Channel

NEW YORK - August 28, 2018 - Ever wonder how the birthday cake first came to be? Or which popular dish has its ties to a criminal cartel? Actor, writer, and Grammy(R) award-winning musician Michael McKean returns to explore and unmask the mythology and fascinating food mysteries surrounding everyday dishes, on Cooking Channel's Food: Fact or Fiction? premiering Monday, October 1st at 10:00pm ET/7:00pm PT. Other themes explored during the season feature Michael following a trail of crumbs all the way to the bakery to uncover the stories behind our favorite baked goodies, and if the whoopie pie nearly caused a civil war. Then in honor of Halloween, Michael investigates dishes that are so wickedly good, they're downright wicked, as he slices up a piece of rhubarb pie and uncovers its paranormal proclivities. And prepare to go into the wild to learn about the juiciest game meat myths and fresh fish fibs, including how we got hooked on tuna melts and the bison burger's presidential ties.

"Michael McKean's unique ability to blend history with doses of comedy allow viewers a front row seat on this culinary journey, as Michael shines a light to debunk some of the most outrageous food myths, challenging our held beliefs on the mysteries that are baked inside everything we eat," said Courtney White, General Manager and Executive Vice President, Programming, Food Network and HGTV.

Viewers will be amazed to learn the facts and fiction surrounding some of our most popular dishes. In the premiere episode, Michael McKean explores all things brunch, and gets to the bottom of some of our mysterious mid-morning meals. He discovers that the Eggs Benedict was actually blessed by a Pope, along with a melty mishap to thank for the Croque Monsieur, and that the Bloody Mary was named by a saucy starlet. Pull up a chair and join Michael throughout the season, as he reveals the accidental discoveries, clever marketing ploys, and propaganda campaigns that have flavored some of our favorite dishes with a spoonful of fact and a dash of fiction.

Challenge your food knowledge with CookingChannelTV.com's interactive video trivia games. Plus, find out the truth behind popular food urban legends, like the five-second rule, gum taking seven years to digest, and just how American apple pie really is. Join the conversation with #FoodFactorFiction.

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COOKING CHANNEL (www.cookingchanneltv.com) is an entertainment brand dedicated to today's passionate food lover. For food people, by food people, Cooking Channel is the answer to a growing hunger for more content devoted to food and cooking in every dimension from global cuisines to international travel, history and unconventional how-to's. Cooking Channel is owned by Discovery, Inc., a global leader in real life entertainment whose portfolio also includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.