NEARLY 30 YEARS IN THE MAKING: MARTIN'S FAN-FAVORITE VARNELL HILL FINALLY GETS THE SPOTLIGHT IN "THE VARNELL HILL SHOW" PREMIERING SEPTEMBER 1 ON PARAMOUNT+

August 25, 2026 - Martin's fan-favorite character Varnell Hill is ready for his close-up on Paramount+ Tuesday, September 1. The Varnell Hill Show reunites Martin Lawrence and Bentley Kyle Evans nearly three decades after Tommy Davidson's Varnell made his unforgettable debut on the iconic sitcom. The eight-episode comedy series stars Davidson alongside Kym Whitley, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Nick Cafero, Emmanuel Hudson and Chris Williams, with special appearances by Lawrence and renowned guest stars including Ms. Pat, Deon Cole, Damon Wayans, Mike Epps, Omarion and many more.

Set behind the scenes of Varnell's long-running late-night talk show, The Varnell Hill Show finds the larger-than-life host fighting to stay relevant in an ever-changing television industry. Surrounded by network executives with big ideas, a writers' room trying to keep up, celebrity guests and a team tasked with managing his outsized personality, Varnell remains convinced of one thing: he's still the biggest star in the building. Blending workplace comedy with satire, cutaways and fourth-wall breaks, the series explores the corporate, creative and personal chaos that goes into keeping "The Varnell Hill Show" on the air.

In association with BET Studios, the series is executive produced by Lawrence, Davidson, Jesse Collins and Dionne Harmon for Jesse Collins Entertainment, Stacy Lyles, Rae Proctor, and Robert Lawrence for Runteldat Entertainment, Mark Greenberg, Andrew Horne, and Evans for Harvest Studios, who also serves as showrunner, writer and director.

About The Varnell Hill Show:

Nearly three decades after audiences first met him, Varnell Hill is stepping back into the spotlight - and he's determined to prove he's still the star of the show. Set behind the scenes of a long-running late-night talk show, The Varnell Hill Show follows Varnell (Davidson) as he fights to stay relevant in a rapidly changing entertainment landscape. Between network executives eager to modernize the show, a chaotic writers' room, celebrity guests, family drama, and his own outsized ego, Varnell quickly discovers that keeping a television empire together may be harder than building one in the first place.