E! Network sent out the following press release:
E! AND WWE EXTEND DEBUT SEASON OF NEW HIT SERIES "TOTAL DIVAS" WITH SIX ADDITIONAL EPISODES
"Total Divas" Has Grown Each Week Since Its Premiere And Hit A Series High With 1.7 Million Total Viewers In Its Most Recent New Episode On Sunday Night
Los Angeles, CA, August 14, 2013 – E! has picked up six additional episodes of its popular new series "Total Divas," which offers the first-ever look into the world of the WWE Divas both inside and outside the ring, bringing season one to a total of 14 episodes. The product of two entertainment giants, E! and WWE, teaming with reality hit maker Bunim-Murray Productions ("Keeping Up With The Kardashians"), "Total Divas" has successfully attracted infatuated pop culture enthusiasts who have made the series an instant hit after only three episodes. The series' sexy stars have let cameras into their glamorous private lives, their sometimes rocky romances and behind the scenes of their hectic sports entertainment careers. Building on its ratings success and enormous social media buzz, E!'s "Total Divas" will continue with new episodes airing Sundays at 10pm with a summer finale on Sunday, September 15 at 10pm. The six additional episodes will debut this fall starting Sunday, November 17 at 10pm ET/PT only on E!
"Our audience has embraced 'Total Divas' in a big way and we're excited to build on the show's tremendous momentum with six additional episodes," said Jeff Olde, Executive Vice President, Program Development. "For many women, WWE Divas possess aspirational personalities because of their glamorous lifestyles and international stardom, but it's their genuine and dynamic personal lives that have truly captivated so many viewers."
The series was an instant hit with audiences, delivering 1.3 million total viewers in its debut, and has built week-to-week since with its most recent episode on 8/11/13 delivering 1.7 million viewers. The third episode of the show on 8/11 was its strongest yet in all key 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54 targets including women and men as well as households.
With only three episodes having aired, "Total Divas" has a lot more to share this season as the lines between the Diva personal lives and ring lives begin to get blurred. Nattie's (WWE Diva Natalya) relationship with her long-time fiancé WWE Superstar Tyson Kidd hits a rough patch as the flame that brought them together starts to flicker. What was supposed to be smooth sailing to a fairytale wedding has become a rocky road and a relationship in trouble. Meanwhile the devilish duo, "The Bella Twins," are separating for the very first time. Brie Bella is moving to a quieter home base in Phoenix with boyfriend WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan, which leaves her sister Nikki Bella and her boyfriend WWE Superstar John Cena living their life of luxury across the country in Tampa. The women also struggle to mend their strained relationship with their father, who was in and out of their lives growing up, and deal with body issues as Nikki gets dubbed "the fat twin" by "haters" on social media.
Tag-team partners Trinity (WWE Diva Naomi) and Ariane (WWE Diva Cameron) who make up "The Funkadactyls" are at odds when they begin to question what each other bring to the ring and how it will further their individual careers. On their own, Trinity is at odds with her fiancé WWE Superstar Jimmy Uso when she refuses to wear her engagement ring so she is more appealing to male fans, and Ariane is considering a breast augmentation which requires her to stop wrestling for an extended period of time, thus taking "The Funkadactlys" out of the spotlight they have worked so hard to get into.
Back at NXT, the WWE developmental system, the Divas-in-training are being put through the ringer at performance boot camp and while JoJo is questioning her dedication to becoming a Diva, fiery redhead Eva Marie is continuing to make herself known in the sports entertainment business for all the wrong reasons as she defies the rules set by WWE, flirts with veteran Superstars while hiding her engagement, bites off more than she can chew with performance promises she can't keep and bumps heads with the big bosses.
Total Divas is produced by WWE and Bunim-Murray Productions. Jon Murray, Gil Goldshein, Jeff Jenkins and Russell Jay are Executive Producers for Bunim-Murray Productions.
The fall premiere of "Total Divas" begins November 17th at 10pm ET/PT. And don't miss this summer's new episodes of "Total Divas" every Sunday at 10pm ET/PT on E!