Shut Up! It's Stacy London

[TV_Paige]

Stacy London Hosts 'Shut Up!'

by Kathy Lyford

Stacy London

TLC is fashioning its first talk show. Stacy London, co-host of the network's "What Not to Wear," will star in and executive produce a weekly primetime talk show called "Shut Up! It's Stacy London." The pilot has been taped and TLC already has plans to add the show to its fall schedule. TLC will air an hour long sneak preview of that first episode on Friday, April 6 at 10 p.m. ET.

The first episode features guest stars actress Jane Krakowski, actress Lisa Rinna, shoe designer Kristen Lee and author Ron Geraci. The new talk show, which will be filmed in front of a live audience, focuses on fashion and lifestyle issues and will feature celebrity interviews and advice on beauty, style and relationships.

What makes the TLC announcement unusual is that non-news cable networks have generally steered clear of talk shows as the most popular hosts can pocket up to $6 million a year to start a weekday talk show in syndication.

Co-Hosts Clinton Kelly and Stacy London

on TLC's 'What Not to Wear'

And, if the show becomes a hit, the sky's the limit: Oprah Winfrey, a multibillionaire, is the wealthiest woman in show business, and in the last couple of years of her syndicated talk show for Warner Bros., Rosie O'Donnell was harvesting a reported $30 million a year.

If London's show racks up solid viewership on TLC as a weekly series in 2007-08, syndication companies will come calling. King World lured Rachael Ray into hosting a syndie series, which began in September, when her various cooking shows on the Food Network chalked up big Nielsens.

Similarly, six years ago, "Crossing Over With John Edward" performed so well on Sci Fi Channel that the network's Universal Domestic TV sibling grabbed the series for daily syndication. But for now, London's goal is to make an impact on TLC.

Stacy London

Christian Drobnyk, the cable station's senior Vice President of programming and development, calls the show "a natural extension of TLC's dominance in great style and relationship advice, combining a proven star and trusted expert in Stacy London with a new way of delivering the information and trends our viewers crave."

Regular segments will include peeks at celebrities' lives based on the clothes they wear, road tests of fashion trends by everyday folks, beauty roundups and a special makeover. "Shut Up! It's Stacy London" would air on Fridays after "What Not to Wear."

"This is the party I've always wanted to throw," London said. "Whether you stay for the night or you watch before you go out, you're not going to be sorry you stopped by." London has offered fashion advice and commentary on "The Today Show" and "Oprah" and has hosted Red Carpet coverage for "Access Hollywood" at the Golden Globes, Grammys and Oscar Shows.