Nickelodeon Greenlights Sam & Cat, New Spin-off Series From
Hitmaker Dan Schneider Starring Fan Favorites Jennette McCurdy and
Ariana Grande
SANTA MONICA, Calif.,
Nov. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- On
the heels of last week's series finale of iCarly that topped
all basic cable with 6.4 million total
viewers, Nickelodeon is announcing the series pick-up of
Sam & Cat (20 episodes), a
spin-off comedy from award-winning creator and executive producer
Dan Schneider
(iCarly, Victorious, Drake & Josh,
Zoey 101). Starring Jennette McCurdy (iCarly's
Sam Puckett) and Ariana Grande (Victorious'
Cat Valentine) reprising their roles from their respective hit
shows, Sam & Cat features the pair as unlikely roommates
who become teen entrepreneurs by starting their own after-school
babysitting business. Sam & Cat will premiere
in 2013, with production beginning this January in Los
Angeles.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121130/NY21546
)
"Jennette and Ariana are adored by our audience, and it's great
to unite these talented actresses in this hilarious new comedy from
Dan Schneider," said Russell Hicks, President, Content Development
and Production, Nickelodeon. "This show promises to deliver
on what our audience loves most about these two favorite characters
-- laugh-out-loud humor and non-stop adventure, and is sure to be a
compelling new chapter for our new comedic duo."
Best known for her comedic portrayal of Sam Puckett on the
mega-hit Nickelodeon series iCarly, Jennette McCurdy most
recently wrapped production on Nickelodeon's original TV movie
Swindle. In addition, she was featured in two other
Nick original TV movies, Fred: The Movie and Best
Player. McCurdy has also guest starred on CSI: Crime
Scene Investigation, Strong Medicine, Law &
Order: SVU, Medium and Judging Amy.
Prior to garnering attention as the beloved character Cat
Valentine on the Nickelodeon series Victorious, Ariana
Grande performed on Broadway in the musical 13. This
holiday, Ariana will star as Snow White at The Pasadena
Playhouse in a presentation of "A Snow White Christmas"
alongside Neil Patrick Harris and
Charlene Tilton. Grande's
other acting credits include a feature role in Nickelodeon's
original TV movie Swindle and voiceover work on the animated
Nick series Winx Club. Grande is also signed to
Universal Republic Records and her first single, "Put Your
Hearts Up," debuted at #24 on the pop charts. Grande is
leading the way with her social media efforts on Twitter,
Instagram and Keek, and her YouTube account has garnered over 115
million views.
Writer-producer Dan Schneider has
established himself as a dominant force in the world of family
entertainment by creatively drawing on his affinity for youth
culture at Nickelodeon. Under his Schneider's Bakery
Productions, he has carved a unique, progressive niche in the world
of kid and family entertainment, most recently as creator and
executive producer of the mega-hit Nickelodeon series iCarly
starring Miranda Cosgrove,
Victorious starring Victoria
Justice and Zoey 101 starring Jamie Lynn Spears—all
of which have received Emmy nominations. Schneider also
created/executive produced The Amanda Show starring
Amanda Bynes and Drake &
Josh starring Drake Bell and
Josh Peck. Schneider began
with Nickelodeon as executive producer and show runner on the
network's groundbreaking sketch comedy series All That from
1994 to 1998, and then returned to run the show in its seventh
season. He then went on to produce Kenan & Kel,
starring Kenan Thompson and
Kel Mitchell. Schneider also
created the hit WB series What I Like About You, starring
Amanda Bynes and Jennie Garth. His comedic success has also
translated to the big screen for which he wrote and produced the
popular films, Good Burger and Big Fat Liar.
About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 33rd year, is the number-one
entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global
business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company
includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus
consumer products, online, recreation, books, and feature films.
Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 100
million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable
network for 17 consecutive years. For more information or artwork,
visit www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles,
characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA,
VIA.B).
SOURCE Nickelodeon