Discovery readies roboteers for two more seasons of BattleBots

BattleBots is set for sixth and seventh seasons

US factual giant Discovery is doubling down on its commitment to the BattleBots robot combat competition series with a two-season order.

The show originally aired on Comedy Central in the US from 2000 to 2002 and then on broadcast network ABC in 2015 and 2016 before Discovery revived it in 2018.

Discovery has now ordered its sixth and seventh seasons, totalling 80 hours, which will cover the 2021 and 2022 World Championships from Caesars Entertainment Studios in Las Vegas.

The BattleBox fight arena has been redesigned for the new seasons with extra hazards for the robots and the 65 international teams competing.

Sportscaster Chris Rose and UFC fighter Kenny Florian will return once again to provide play-by-play commentary, along with expert contributions from Pete Abrahamson. Meanwhile, Faruq Tauheed returns as ring announcer.

The TV format was originally created by Ed Roski and Greg Munson and has now been seen in more than 150 territories. It is produced by BattleBots Inc and Whalerock Industries.

Executive producers are Chris Cowan, Edward (Trey) Roski, Greg Munson, Tom Gutteridge, Aaron Catling and Evan Gatica. For Discovery Channel, Scott Lewers, Joseph Boyle and Wyatt Channell are executive producers, and Paola Espinosa is associate producer.

In related news, Discovery’s new streaming service Discovery+ and its cablenet OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network have given straight-to-series orders to five new shows.

For the first time, OWN and Discovery stablemate HGTV will join forces to coproduce a series, provisionally titled Taking Back The House and set to air exclusively on Discovery+.

The series will chronicle Broadway star Robert Hartwell’s room-by-room renovation of an 1820 colonial house he bought recently. Executive produced by Hartwell alongside HGTV real estate and home renovation stars Drew and Jonathan Scott (Property Brothers), the new series will premiere in 2022.

The Great Soul Food Cookoff is produced by Good Egg Entertainment, the US prodco behind Food Network series Chopped, and is a culinary competition series spotlighting black cooks and cooking traditions.

Burger Truck Brawl from Guy Fieri’s Knuckle Sandwich Productions and Lando Entertainment focuses on one of LA’s most successful food trucks, which is now hitting the road to take its recipes across the US.

Like Mother, Like Daughter? (working title) is a new series that follows six mother-daughter pairs who have serious issues between them, as they move into an isolated resort where they will be forced to work on their relationship. Bunim/Murray Productions is behind the format.

Finally, Breaking Black, from Tina Knowles-Lawson, Trell Thomas and A Smith & Co Productions, sets out to challenge and debunk the negative stereotypes that have surrounded black men for centuries, by reshaping the narrative and highlighting their authentic stories.

Through interviews, historical footage and personal stories from men across the country, Breaking Black aims to show the difficulties black men face today, while highlighting and celebrating the triumphs and successes of everyday living.