FOOD NETWORK AND "PEOPLE" BRING "SEXIEST MAN ALIVE" INTO THE KITCHEN

"Sexiest Chef" To Be Revealed in Primetime TV Special Hosted by PEOPLE Editor in Chief Jess Cagle

NEW YORK - September 11, 2018 - Production on a new one-hour primetime special that will give audiences a behind-the-scenes look at how a new category in PEOPLE's popular "Sexiest Man Alive" issue -- "Sexiest Chef" -- is being created and curated, was announced today by Food Network and PEOPLE. Hosted by PEOPLE's Editor-in-Chief Jess Cagle, the TV special will feature an up-close look at 10 talented chefs from across the nation as they are introduced to viewers, with one up-and-coming chef receiving the ultimate honor of being named "Sexiest Chef." The Food Network special and newly chosen "Sexiest Chef" will be featured in PEOPLE's annual "Sexiest Man Alive" issue, which hits newsstands nationwide on Friday, November 9. Created in partnership with PEOPLE and produced by Four M Studios, the special is slated to premiere on Food Network on Thursday, November 1st at 8pm ET/PT.

"We are thrilled to work with PEOPLE on this new collaboration, which celebrates chefs and the exciting world of food as only Food Network and PEOPLE can," said Allison Page, President, Food Network and HGTV. "Viewers will get an up close and personal glimpse at each of the extraordinarily talented chefs, along with their personal stories and culinary styles, culminating with the reveal of this year's 'Sexiest Chef.'"

"Sexiest Man Alive is an iconic franchise, and the PEOPLE Food vertical produces some of the brand's most popular content, so this partnership with Food Network is a perfect fit," said Cagle. Added Bruce Gersh, EVP/president of PEOPLE, Entertainment Weekly and PEOPLE en Espanol, and head of Four M Studios, "PEOPLE continues to identify innovative and develop unique programs to extend the 'Sexiest Man Alive' franchise, which is celebrating its 33rd year."

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FOOD NETWORK (www.foodnetwork.com) is a unique lifestyle network, website and magazine that connects viewers to the power and joy of food. The network strives to be viewers' best friend in food and is committed to leading by teaching, inspiring, empowering and entertaining through its talent and expertise. Food Network is distributed to nearly 100 million U.S. households and draws over 46 million unique web users monthly. Since launching in 2009, Food Network Magazine's rate base has grown 13 times and is the No. 2 best-selling monthly magazine on the newsstand, with 13.5 million readers. Food Network is owned by Discovery, Inc., a global leader in real life entertainment whose portfolio also includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, TLC, Investigation Discovery, and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.

PEOPLE

Meredith Corporation's PEOPLE revolutionized personality journalism when it launched as a weekly in 1974 with a mission to celebrate extraordinary people doing ordinary things and ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Ubiquitous and still at the center of pop culture more than 40 years later, the PEOPLE brand is accessible across all media and platforms (print, digital, video, OTT, mobile, social) bringing more than 100 million consumers a unique mix of breaking entertainment news, exclusive photos, video, unparalleled access to the red carpet, celebrities, and in-depth reporting on the most compelling newsmakers of our time. An essential component of PEOPLE's editorial vision remains human interest stories, which touch and often mirror the lives of our passionate audience. ComScore ranks the PEOPLE/Entertainment Weekly Digital Network No. 1 in the entertainment news category. And now, the PeopleTV app offers a free, advertiser-supported OTT streaming video service. PEOPLE is an award-winning 24/7 news organization headquartered in NYC with reporters worldwide. For more information visit PEOPLE.com and follow @people on Twitter and Instagram, @peoplemag on Facebook, and the PEOPLE channel on YouTube and on Snapchat's Discover.

About Four M Studios

Four M Studios (formerly Time Inc. Productions), the television production division of Meredith Corporation, is a full-service production company creating premium long-form content distributed on all platforms globally. Formed in 2016, the division touts an in-house award-winning creative team, state-of-the-art studios and post-production facilities in New York and Los Angeles. The content and spirit of Meredith's powerful and trusted iconic brands provide unlimited inspiration for Four M Studio shows. The Studio also develops shows independent of Meredith brands. The group won an Emmy in 2017 for "A Year in Space" on PBS, and its shows have aired on or are in development with ABC, Apple, Netflix, Paramount Network, FOX, A&E, Investigation Discovery and other major networks.