TLC plans week of royal wedding specials, coverage
LOS ANGELES (AP) -January 19, 2011
In the five days leading up to the April 29 nuptials of William
and Kate Middleton, the channel will air specials featuring
archived and other footage, interviews and a round-table discussion
with experts on royalty, TLC said Wednesday.
The U.K.-themed week, in partnership with ITV Studios, also will
include a show focusing on British and U.S. hoarders and
"extreme" collectors of royal memorabilia.
The channel plans live coverage of the wedding, with a condensed
version of the event set to air April 30-May 1.
Next month, TLC will show "The Queen," a new two-hour special
that explores romance, weddings and divorce among members of Queen
Elizabeth II's family.
The special will air Feb. 13 (9 p.m. EST). The program will be
preceded by repeats of two specials about William and his fiancee:
"William & Kate: A Royal Love Story" (7 p.m. EST) and "William,
Kate & 8 Royal Weddings" (8 p.m. EST).
For TLC, home of "Four Weddings, "Say Yes to the Dress" and
other wedding-themed shows, the weeklong coverage is intended to
enhance viewers' "overall royal experience" of the Westminster
Abbey ceremony, said programming executive Nancy Daniels.
"This is without question the most widely anticipated wedding
in a generation," Paul Buccieri, ITV Studios America president and
CEO, said in a statement, promising American viewers "intimate
access to this landmark event."