‘Showtime at the Apollo’ goes weekly on FOX in 2017-18

[ntscuser]

Following a pair of specials on FOX this season, “Showtime at the Apollo” will make the leap to a weekly series in 2017-18



The specials were hosted by Steve Harvey, who will return as host for the weekly show. The series will add a competition element to the talent showcase, which is based on the Apollo Theater’s long-running (80-plus years) Amateur Night.

“We all had such a blast on the two specials that aired earlier this season, that we thought it really deserved being a weekly event,” Harvey says in a statement. “But our mission is a little different this time around. Instead of just putting on a great show, we’re going to do that and find the next great comic and the next big music star. That’s what the Apollo is all about. My roots are on that stage and I can’t wait to be there every week, looking for great talent.”

FOX aired a two-hour “Showtime at the Apollo” special in December, followed by a one-hour showcase in February. The two shows averaged a 1.0 rating among adults 18-49 the night they aired, along with about 3.62 million viewers.

“Showtime at the Apollo” ran for more than 20 years in syndication, with Harvey serving as host for several seasons in the 1990s. It ended its initial run in 2008; a similar show, “Apollo Live,” aired on BET from 2012-14.

There’s no word yet on where “Showtime at the Apollo” will land on the schedule or how many episodes it will run. FOX announces its 2017-18 lineup on May 15 at its upfront presentation.