A+E Networks agrees wide-ranging partnership with celeb baker Buddy Valastro

New York-based A+E Networks has struck a multi-faceted creative partnership with celebrity baker and TV personality Buddy Valastro.

Buddy Valastro

Valastro will develop series and holiday specials to be produced by A+E’s factual division Six West Media in association with Cakehouse Media. A+E Networks said the pact includes more than 60 hours of original programming.

In addition, Valastro and his family will star in an upcoming Lifetime holiday movie.

All projects produced through the deal will be executive produced by Valastro, who is the star of long-running reality series Cake Boss and has appeared in several other factual series.

A+E will also handle worldwide distribution on all projects produced through the pact.

“Buddy will bolster A+E Networks’ industry-leading lifestyle genre catalogue as a bona fide star with a tremendous fanbase. The fact that he is a passionate creative partner is icing on the cake,” said Rob Sharenow, president of programming for A+E Networks.

Valastro added: “Our partnership with A+E is everything my family and I were looking for in a home on television – a media company with worldwide reach and distribution and thoughtful creative partners who can execute our shared vision from development to broadcast.”

A+E Networks is the parent company of brands including A&E, Lifetime, The History Channel, LMN, FYI, Vice TV and Blaze.