ABC Spark Heats Up Summer With Three Nights of Original Programming Including New Series Dancing Fools, The Fosters, Twisted and The Vineyard

Original Hit Series Melissa & Joey, Baby Daddy and Switched at Birth Return with All-New Episodes

TORONTO, March 11, 2013 /CNW/ - Corus Entertainment's ABC Spark announces a red-hot summer line-up with the premiere of four new original series including reality competition series Dancing Fools, family drama The Fosters, mystery drama Twisted and docu-soap The Vineyard. Summer premiere dates are also set for returning original series Melissa & Joey, Baby Daddy and Switched at Birth.

Dancing Fools premieres Wednesday, May 29 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The half-hour comedy clip show features the funniest, most outrageous and memorable dances caught on camera. The dancers from the top two clips of the week compete on stage for a chance to win $10,000. The series is hosted by Melissa Peterman, who also stars in ABC Spark's Baby Daddy and in the upcoming ABC reality series Bet on Your Baby.

From executive producer Jennifer Lopez (American Idol, What to Expect When You're Expecting, The Back-Up Plan), ABC Spark's new original series The Fosters will premiere on Monday, June 3 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following the series finale of The Secret Life of the American Teenager. The one-hour drama centres on two moms (Teri Polo and Sherri Saum) raising a multi-ethnic family mix of foster and biological kids. The series also stars Jake T. Austin, Hayden Byerly, David Lambert, Maia Mitchell, Danny Nucci and Cierra Ramirez.

Twisted, premiering on Tuesday, June 11 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, is a one-hour mystery full of twists and turns that is centered on a charismatic 16-year-old with a troubled past (Avan Jogia) who has recently reconnected with his two female best friends from childhood (Maddie Hasson and Kylie Bunbury). He becomes the prime suspect when a fellow student is found dead in her home. The series also stars Kimberly Quinn, Sam Robards, Ashton Moio and Denise Richards.

The Vineyard, premiering on Wednesday, July 24 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, is a dramatic coming-of-age docu-soap that follows a handful of 20-somethings on Martha's Vineyard for the summer. Tight quarters, new friends and new rivals, all living, working and playing together, make this picturesque playground ripe for mischief and romance.

Other original series scheduled to premiere this summer include hit comedies Melissa & Joey and Baby Daddy and fan favourite Switched at Birth.

Melissa & Joey, the hit comedy starring Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence returns for the third season of the original series on Wednesday, May 29 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Mel, a local politician and a former wild child, and Joe, her down-on-his-luck manny, work together to raise Mel's teenaged niece Lennox and nephew Ryder.

Baby Daddy returns with new episodes for its second season on Wednesday, May 29 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT. The series follows single dad Ben, his brother Danny, his buddy Tucker, and his close childhood friend (and secret admirer) Riley as they navigate single life in New York City under the constant supervision of Ben's overbearing mother, Bonnie.

Switched at Birth returns with all new episodes on Monday, June 10 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Now in its second season, the award-winning family drama focuses on two teenage girls from very different homes who were accidentally switched at birth and are getting to know their biological families and each other. The series explores blended families and deaf culture, with an array of deaf and hard-of-hearing actors, and includes scenes shot entirely in American Sign Language.

SUMMARY:

Wednesday, May 29 at 8 p.m. ET/PT - Season premiere of Melissa & Joey

Wednesday, May 29 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT - Season premiere of Baby Daddy

Wednesday, May 29 at 9 p.m. ET/PT - Series premiere of Dancing Fools

Monday, June 3 at 9 p.m. ET/PT - Series premiere of The Fosters

Monday, June 10 at 8 p.m. ET/PT - Season premiere of Switched at Birth

Tuesday, June 11 at 9 p.m. ET/PT - Series premiere of Twisted

Wednesday, July 24 at 9 p.m. ET/PT - Series premiere of The Vineyard

ABC Spark is available in Canada through a license agreement between Corus Entertainment and Disney/ABC Television Group. Built on the foundation of the successful U.S. brand ABC Family, ABC Spark is a multiplatform offering featuring original series and movies, as well as general entertainment programming. The 24-hour channel has the same values, look, tone, essence and feel of ABC Family in the U.S.   www.abcspark.ca

About Corus Entertainment
Corus Entertainment Inc. is a Canadian-based media and entertainment company. Corus is a market leader in specialty television and radio with additional assets in pay television, television broadcasting, children's book publishing, children's animation and animation software. The Company's multimedia entertainment brands include YTV, Treehouse, Nickelodeon (Canada), ABC Spark, W Network, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network (Canada), CosmoTV, Sundance Channel (Canada), Movie Central, HBO Canada, Nelvana, Kids Can Press, Toon Boom and 37 radio stations including CKNW AM 980, 99.3 The FOX, Country 105, 630 CHED, Q107 and 102.1 the Edge. Corus creates engaging branded entertainment experiences for its audiences across multiple platforms. A publicly traded company, Corus is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (CJR.B). Experience Corus on the web at www.corusent.com.

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SOURCE: ABC Spark

For more information, images or screeners, please contact:

Netta Rondinelli     
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Kate Calder
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