Bruce Campbell’s latest turn as Ash Williams came to a close last April when Starz canceled Ash vs. Evil Dead. However, fans of the cult film legend might take comfort in learning that Campbell is lending his cheeky personality to another iconic franchise. Via Deadline, the Travel Channel has tapped Campbell to host the next incarnation of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
Robert Ripley created the franchise in 1918 as a newspaper strip that initially concentrated on showcasing impressive sports feats. It eventually broadened its scope with tales of other bizarre happenings that prompted disbelief from readers all over the world. Ripley began hosting the first Believe It or Not! TV series on NBC in 1949. After appearing in 13 episodes, Ripley died of a heart attack later that year. A gathering of his friends took over hosting duties until the show went off the air in 1950. ABC revived the program in 1982 with Jack Palance as host. In 2000, TBS produced its own version headlined by Dean Cain.
RELATED: Ash and Elvis are Teaming Up for Army of Darkness/Bubba Ho-Tep
“Travel Channel fans have an insatiable curiosity about the world and sharing this wonderful and weird series with the next generation of fans is a thrill,” said Travel Channel general manager Jane Latman. “This entirely new version of Ripley’s is a fresh contemporary approach to the odd and unusual and will be jam-packed with larger-than-life characters, cool facts, history and science.”
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! will premiere its 10-episode first season on the Travel Channel this summer. The show is currently in production at the legendary Ripley Warehouse in Orlando, Florida. What are your thoughts on Bruce Campbell hosting a new version of the series? Let us know in the comment section below!
