(NEW YORK, NY, JANUARY 5, 2017)—Time Inc.’s (NYSE: TIME) People/Entertainment Weekly Network (PEN) announced today that Lola Ogunnaike has joined the streaming network as host of “EW: The Show,” a PEN original weekly series, with an agreement through 2017. Kicking off today with the premiere of "EW: The Show's" Winter TV Preview, the writer, journalist and pop culture guru will helm the series and bring each issue of Entertainment Weekly to life with exclusive news, reviews, commentary from EW Editor-in-Chief Henry Goldblatt, and the indispensable 'Must List' curating the very best in entertainment. Go to PEOPLE.com/PEN, or download the PEN app on your mobile and connected devices, and see a clip from today's "EW: The Show" here: http://wavepost.net/A5WND.

“Lola is dynamic, popular and incredibly well-respected, and we are so excited to welcome her to our ever-expanding streaming network,” said JJ Miller, Executive Producer, Style and Entertainment Group, Time Inc. “With a deep background in TV, Lola's expertise and personality jump off the screen, and fans of PEN and 'EW: The Show’ will love her."

"This is an amazing homecoming for me as I began my journalism career as an intern at Entertainment Weekly where I learned a great deal and made lifelong friendships," said Ogunnaike. "Having an opportunity to speak about pop culture's most important moments in real time is an absolute dream come true and I'm looking forward to a wonderful, fun-filled adventure with the PEN/EW family."

As a leading cultural authority and seasoned media veteran, Ogunnaike has built her career on a winning combination of onscreen charisma, interview savvy, and creative vision. For more than a decade, she has traveled the globe as a writer and television correspondent, covering key events in entertainment, popular culture and politics for the New York Times, CNN, NBC, MSNBC, BET, MTV, VH1 and Al Jazeera. She’s interviewed a stunning array of luminaries, among them First Lady Michelle Obama, George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Lupita Nyong’o, Jon Stewart, Drake, President Goodluck Jonathan and Oprah Winfrey.

Premiering every Thursday on PEN, "EW: The Show” offers viewers a weekly look into the current issue of EW on newsstands, and covers the biggest pop culture conversations of the day as well as 'The Must List,' a fan favorite for every EW reader. Much like the magazine, "EW: The Show" focuses on movies, television, music and books, and offers fans a smart, funny, and exclusive look at their favorite fandoms. Previously, Ricky Camilleri (AOL BUILD) served as host of the series when it premiered in September 2016 at PEN's launch.

"EW: THE SHOW" WINTER TV PREVIEW WITH HOST OGUNNIAKE – NOW STREAMING 
PEN's “EW: The Show’s” Winter TV Preview features News + Notes, and an esteemed panel that includes EW Senior Editor Amy Wilkinson and Staff Writer Ray Rahman, along with EW Radio/Sirius XM's Jessica Shaw. Adria Arjona will be featured for her role in the upcoming NBC show, "Emerald City."

Clip: News + Notes with "EW: The Show's" new Host Ogunnaike as she talks with a panel of pop culture experts and takes a peek at the newest season of "The Bachelor."

Embed: players.brightcove.net/416418724/default_default/index.html?videoId=5271664252001

ADDITIONAL BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION 
Ogunnaike currently hosts Arise Entertainment 360, a daily culture and entertainment series that airs in more than 50 countries, but fans were first introduced to her work when she began her career writing for the New York Daily News. After three years with the paper, she joined the New York Times and quickly became one of the paper's most widely read writers. In her years at the New York Times, Ogunnaike was a reporter for the Arts & Leisure section. She also wrote extensively for the paper’s Style section, where she covered emerging trends in the worlds of fashion, beauty and lifestyle. Her work with the New York Times immediately attracted the attention of news and entertainment outlets and soon Ogunnaike began regularly appearing on television, offering her fresh take on all of the hottest headlines of the day. After nearly six years at the New York Times, she joined CNN as an entertainment correspondent for the network’s flagship show American Morning. While at CNN, she covered the inauguration of President Barack Obama, banner red carpet events, New York fashion week and more. Ogunnaike, who is Nigerian American, also interviewed African newsmakers for CNN International’s popular series African Voices.

In addition to her work on screen, Ogunnaike writes about the intersection of politics and fashion for Glamour.com. Her articles have also appeared in Rolling Stone Magazine, New York Magazine, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Details, Food & Wine, USA Today, Essence, InStyle and Vibe. Ogunnaike's work was featured in the Best Music Writing of 2010 anthology series. Ebony magazine named her one of the “150 Most Influential Blacks in America.” And Africa’s leading women’s magazine, Ladybrille, recently named her one of the continent’s “20 Most Influential Leaders.”

Gifted with an undeniable ability to connect with audiences, Ogunnaike is regularly called upon to bring her signature blend of warmth, wit and wisdom to speaking engagements around the country. Most recently she hosted a White House town-hall event in Washington, D.C. for President Barack Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative.

Ogunnaike currently lives in Manhattan with her husband and son.

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ABOUT PEOPLE/ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY NETWORK (PEN) 
A division of Time Inc., PEN is an advertiser-supported video streaming (AVOD) service from the iconic brands People and Entertainment Weekly that allows fans free, daily access to the most fascinating topics in Hollywood. PEN features all-access coverage through original programming, behind-the-scenes coverage of magazine cover stories and photo shoots, tentpole events and breaking entertainment news. Watch unlimited full-length episodes on connected devices, mobile and the web. Go to PEOPLE.com/PEN, or download the PEN app on Apple TV, Roku Players, Amazon Fire TV, Xumo, Chromecast, Xfinity, iOS and Android devices.

 

ABOUT TIME INC. 
Time Inc. (NYSE:TIME) is a leading content company that engages over 150 million consumers every month through our portfolio of premium brands across platforms. By combining our distinctive content with our proprietary data and people-based targeting, we offer highly differentiated end-to-end solutions to marketers across the multimedia landscape. Our influential brands include People, Time, Fortune, Sports Illustrated, InStyle, Real Simple and Southern Living, as well as more than 50 diverse titles in the United Kingdom. Time Inc. has been extending the power of our brands through various acquisitions and investments, including Viant, an advertising technology firm with a specialized people-based marketing platform; The Foundry, Time Inc.’s creative lab and content studio; and the People Entertainment Weekly Network (PEN). The company is also home to celebrated events, such as the Time 100, Fortune Most Powerful Women, People’s Sexiest Man Alive, Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year, the Essence Festival and the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. 

 

CONTACT: 
Nora Ellish, 917-744-9200, nora.ellish@gmail.com