After being dropped and then given a second chance in a 6-week test run over the summer, it seems Bethenny Frankel’s daytime talk show, Bethenny will be making it into the Fox lineup, after all. The return could come as early as January of 2013, but for now all we know for certain is that it will be back on the air sometime in the coming year.
Bethenny was originally set to appear on Fox this fall, but wasn’t able to win a spot in the schedule. The show was pulled out of the scrap heap, however, and six Fox stations ran episodes over the summer. This test run earned a strong response in the ratings. The numbers were so good in some markets that Deadline says Fox could bring it back early in 2013, so as to take advantage of the current momentum and buzz around the show.
Produced by Ellen DeGeneres’ company, A Very Good Show Productions, and with DeGeneres and Frankel as executive producers, Bethenny relies mainly on the host’s appeal among stay-at-home moms. The mommy mogul millionaire behind the Skinnygirl line started out on television in The Real Housewives of New York City and seemed to be a strong bet for success with daytime audiences. Her timing, however, was bad with a packed schedule that included some serious competition, including Katie Couric's new show, Katie. The test run has proven that Bethenny does have a willing audience, and her ability to market herself seems to be winning out in the end.
