Pop music's bad boys are heading to E!
The NBCUniversal-owned cable network has ordered to series the tentatively titled The Wanted Life, a docuseries that chronicles the personal and professional lives of breakout band The Wanted. The series, which will count Ryan Seacrest among its executive producers, will feature the five band members as they live together in Los Angeles' Hollywood Hills and record their third album and prep for their US and Europe tour later this year. The half-hour entry is set to premiere on E! in June, with plans to bow around the world later this fall.
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"The rock star lifestyle is something that everyone has fantasized about and The Wanted are giving viewers total access into their world as they live out this dream. This series is a perfect blend of music, bromance and superstardom chronicling the lives of one of music's biggest groups as they continue to make their mark on the global stage," said E! president Suzanne Kolb of the U.K. boy band in a statement.
Added Seacrest: “America has a long history of falling for British bad boy musicians, so it's no surprise that The Wanted are already beloved by legions of fans far and wide. This talented and outspoken English-Irish band are setting their own course to fame and this journey is the foundation of the series. It's a road that’s bound to include irresistible pop tracks along with plenty of humor, antics and drama behind-the-scenes, which I believe will further ignite fascination and even obsession with these guys.”
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Joining the fivesome -- ladies man Max George, the serious Siva Kaneswaran, elusive Jay McGuinness, opinionated Tom Parker and the baby of the group Nathan Sykes -- in L.A. is Nano Tissera, whose 24/7 job is to be responsible for the band's whereabouts. As part of Wanted manager Scooter Braun's company, Tissera is the glue that keeps the band together as well as the subject of much teasing from a group of guys that loves to get a rise out of him. Also included: Nareesha McCaffrey, Kaneswaran's often disapproving girlfriend who isn't happy about sharing quarters with the entire band, and Parker's girlfriend Kelsey Hardwick, who loves to party as much as the boys.
The unscripted effort will be produced by Ryan Seacrest Productions, SB Productions and Global TV UK, with Seacrest, RSP CEO Adam Sher, Braun, Global TV's Ashley Tabor and Danny Rose on board as executive producers. The move comes as RSP looks to expand a small screen portfolio that already includes E!'s highly successful Kardashian franchise as well as E!'s Married to Jonas and Bravo's Shahs of Sunset. In addition to a close relationship with Braun, who counts Justin Bieber, Psy and Carly Rae Jepsen among his clients, Seacrest has interviewed The Wanted on his radio show on several occasions and hosted the band on American Idol this past spring. Wanted Life will join a schedule populated by such shows as The Soup, Ice Loves Coco and new entry Chasing The Saturdays, centered on a U.K. girls group.
Email: Lacey.Rose@THR.com; Twitter: @LaceyVRose
