NBC Cancels ‘Fashion Star’

NBC’s design competition Fashion Star will not be returning for a third season, NBC Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt confirms at TCA.

On Saturday’s Television Critics Association’s summer press tour, Greenblatt announced that the network canceled the reality competition, explains the Hollywood Reporter. The show featured a group of fashion designers competing to have their garments sold in Macy’s, Saks and Express stores.

The network moved the show from Tuesday to Friday nights for its second season. In addition, it was given a revamp, bringing Louise Roe in as a host to replace executive producer Elle Macpherson. Express stores took over for H&M on the buyer’s panel and the designers were grouped into teams under one of the show’s mentors—Jessica Simpson, Nicole Richie and John Varvatos.

The season two finale aired May 10 and drew 2.5 million viewers and a 0.5 rating in the adults 18-49 demographic, showing a significant drop from the freshman season’s finale, which had a 1.6 rating.

Excluding The Voice, NBC has struggled to find a breakout unscripted hit in recent years. Dating show Ready for Love, executive produced by Eva Longoria, was canceled in April after two low-rated episodes. Howie Mandel’s limited run Take It All premiered in December but saw big rating drops once it lost its Voice lead-in.

Other reality shows The Biggest Loser and America’s Got Talent are still drawing in solid numbers for NBC, but the talent competition, which is currently in its eighth season, is experiencing dips from last year. Long-running reality competition The Celebrity Apprentice also posted year-over-year drops in the spring.

NBC premieres Million Second Question in the fall, a 24/7 game show featuring contestants competing in trivia contests over the course of twelve days. The show will air nearly every night from September 9-19.

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