Lionsgate signs unscripted TV deal with Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg, Donnie Wahlberg

Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg and Donnie Wahlberg

US-based studio Lionsgate has inked an unscripted first-look deal with Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg and Donnie Wahlberg’s newly formed banner Work Baby Productions.

Under the three-year deal, Work Baby Productions will develop and produce unscripted and reality TV, documentaries, short-form projects and podcasts. Lionsgate-owned factual outfit Pilgrim Media Group will support project development and serve as the production services entity for sold projects.

Actor and TV personality McCarthy Wahlberg currently serves as a judge on Fox’s competition series The Masked Singer. She was also previously co-anchor on US daytime talkshow The View, hosted her own radio talkshow The Jenny McCarthy Show and starred in the Scream film franchise.

Meanwhile, Wahlberg currently stars in Blue Bloods and is a founding member of the New Kids on the Block boy band. He has also starred in several of Lionsgate’s Saw films, as well as The Sixth Sense, Ransom, Dreamcatcher and HBO miniseries Band of Brothers.

The pair created Work Baby Production to produce “innovative content inspired by their decades-long careers and lives in the public eye.”

“Donnie and Jenny are a perfect fit for Lionsgate and our commitment to creating leading unscripted television programming,” said Craig Piligian, who serves as CEO and chair of Pilgrim Media Group and president of Lionsgate Nonfiction Television.

“We know they will be excellent partners, and we look forward to helping them build a diverse and hugely successful slate of programmes.”

Other deals inked by Lionsgate in recent months include an overall scripted content deal with Minx creator Ellen Rapoport and a first-look production deal with Rashida Jones and Will McCormack’s production banner Le Train Train.