ABC has announced their summer lineup of primetime shows which include favorite game shows, and reality series. This year will also mark the debut of The Celebrity Dating Game, When Nature Calls, and The Ultimate Surfer.
UPDATE (4/28/2021): ABC has announced new premiere dates for Press Your Luck, The $100,000 Pyramid, Card Sharks, and The Ultimate Surfer. This post has been updated to reflect those changes.
What’s Happening:
- ABC is ready to kick off a summer full of fun, thrills and romance with the lineup of star-studded unscripted programming.
- This summer audiences will enjoy entertaining shows like Emergency Call, Celebrity Family Feud, and Bachelor in Paradise as they return to the network.
- Plus, three new series make their debut alongside 11 of the most popular and well-known titles on television. Among the new shows premiering in summer 2021 are:
- The Celebrity Dating Game, hosted by Zooey Deschanel and Michael Bolton
- When Nature Calls (working title), a series filled with hilarity and hijinks
- The Ultimate Surfer, an all-new competition series
- Fans can tune in for series premieres all summer long with new episodes debuting as early as Wednesday, May 26th.
ABC Summer Lineup
Please note all times listed are Eastern/Pacific.
Wednesday, May 26
- 8:00-9:00 pm Press Your Luck (originally Wednesday, June 9)
- 9:00-10:00 pm The $100,000 Pyramid (originally Wednesday, June 9)
Friday, June 4
- 8:00-9:01 pm Emergency Call
Sunday, June 6
- 8:00-9:00 pm Celebrity Family Feud
- 9:00-10:00 pm The Chase
- 10:00-11:00 pm To Tell the Truth
Monday, June 7
- 8:00-10:00 pm The Bachelorette
Monday, June 14
- 10:00-11:00 pm The Celebrity Dating Game (series premiere)
Wednesday, June 16
- 10:00-11:00 pm Card Sharks (originally Wednesday, June 9)
Thursday, June 17
- 8:00-9:00 pm When Nature Calls (WT) (series premiere)
- 9:00-10:00 pm Holey Moley 3D in 2D
- 10:00-11:00 pm The Hustler
Monday, August 16
- 8:00-10:00 pm Bachelor in Paradise
Monday, August 23
- 10:00-11:00 pm The Ultimate Surfer (series premiere) (originally Monday, August 16)
The $100,000 Pyramid
- “Michael Strahan is back as host of The $100,000 Pyramid, the timeless word-association game in which two celebrities and their partners face off in a race against the clock to make it to the winner’s circle and take home $100,000.”
Bachelor in Paradise
- “Breakout fan favorites from The Bachelor franchise are back and ready for a second (or third) chance at finding love. They may have left their respective seasons brokenhearted, but now they have the opportunity to travel to a romantic paradise in hopes of turning a potential summer fling into the real thing.”
The Bachelorette
- “After appearing in the 25th season of The Bachelor, Katie Thurston emerged as a leading voice, who repeatedly stood up against bullying and negativity in the house; and women all over America applauded her for speaking up for what she believes. Unapologetically herself, Katie is adventurous, daring and ready for a man with whom she can build a life. A marketing manager with an innate social media savvy and humorous outlook on life, she is a witty storyteller who wants a man that will laugh along with her, and is ready to step into the spotlight for her own love story to be told.”
Card Sharks
- “Card Sharks is a suspenseful game where a fortune can be won on the turn of a single playing card. The road to glory and riches begins with two players who face off in a head-to-head elimination game with the goal of one player making it to the life-changing money card round. In the money card round, the winning player has to make gut-wrenching decisions and risk it all to win it all. Ultimately, players can either take their earned cash and quit or continue wagering for a chance to take home a major cash prize.”
The Celebrity Dating Game (series premiere)
- “Hosted by Zooey Deschanel and Michael Bolton, The Celebrity Dating Game offers a wry wink at modern dating with a star-studded roster of celebrity singles from television, music, comedy, reality TV and feature film in their pursuit to find love. Offering the same iconic feel as the original classic dating show, each episode follows two celebrities who each pick one lucky suitor from a hidden panel of three bachelors and/or bachelorettes based on answers to a variety of questions. But there’s a twist! The celebrity identities will remain a mystery to their suitors, who are given clues via hilarious parody song performances by host Michael Bolton.”
Celebrity Family Feud
- “Celebrity Family Feud has celebrities along with their families go head-to-head in a contest to name the most popular responses to survey-type questions posed to 100 people for a chance to win money for a charity of their choice.”
The Chase
- “The Chase is back as the heart-racing quiz show where three competitors must pit their wits and face off against the Chaser, a ruthless quiz genius determined to stop them from winning cash prizes. Each hourlong episode is a fast-paced battle of brainpower, where contestants are challenged to think faster than they ever thought possible to answer up to 166 questions across all topics. Sara Haines (The View) hosts.”
Emergency Call
- “911 call takers from Austin, Texas; Ogden, Utah; New Orleans, Louisiana; Wasilla, Alaska; and Waukesha, Wisconsin, receive calls that will keep one on the edge of their seat. Emergency Call is a daring, hourlong series that documents the first few crucial minutes of emergencies told through the lens of America’s heroic 911 call takers. The series follows the dramatic moments leading up to the arrival of help and focuses on the extreme, suspenseful and sometimes humorous stories that flood 911 call centers.”
Holey Moley 3D in 2D
- “ABC’s wackiest extreme mini-golf competition series Holey Moley will return for season three as Holey Moley 3D in 2D. In season three, mini-golf enthusiasts and talented putters of all ages and from all corners of the U.S. will test their luck on the Holey Moley course in an attempt to be crowned winner and walk away with The Golden Putter trophy and coveted plaid jacket. Winners from each episode will return to the course for the season finale and putt for their chance at the giant cash prize.”
The Hustler
- “The Hustler follows five contestants as they collaborate to answer a series of 10 trivia questions worth $10,000 each, with the goal of building a collective prize pot that increases with each correct answer. The catch? One of the five contestants, the Hustler, already knows the answers because every question is inspired by his/her life and interests but must keep their identity a secret in order to have a shot at winning the grand prize.”
Press Your Luck
- “During each game of Press Your Luck, three contestants compete against each other answering questions to earn spins on the Big Board. Contestants then use their spins to win cash and prizes while trying to avoid the WHAMMY, who could take all of their winnings and leave them with nothing. The winning contestant moves on to the all-new bonus game to face the WHAMMY in a final battle for the opportunity to win $1 million.”
To Tell the Truth
- “Hosted by black-ish star Anthony Anderson, To Tell the Truth, the funny reimagination of the beloved game show featuring prominent pop-culture icons and unique commentary and banter from Anderson’s mother, Mama Doris, will bring the excitement to another level. In each round, the panel is presented with three people who all claim to be the same person with the same incredible talent, job or achievement. One is sworn to tell the truth while the other two use every trick they can to deceive the panel.”
Ultimate Surfer
- “Alliances and rivalries will be front and center in Ultimate Surfer as men and women compete in individual and team challenges focused on specific surfing disciplines. Weekly eliminations will leave two men and two women as finalists who will vie for the male and female titles of the Ultimate Surfer and the opportunity to compete on the WSL World Tour, the pinnacle of professional surfing. Slater’s remarkable, one-of-a-kind, man-made wave – the most even playing field for measuring surf mastery – is at the heart of the series.”
When Nature Calls (Working Title)
- “When Nature Calls is a laugh-out-loud, one-hour unscripted comedy series which looks at the lighter side of the natural world. Based on a BBC Studios comedy format, the show will surprise and delight viewers with what comes out of the mouths of majestic beasts, teeny-tiny frogs, beatboxing badgers and more within captivating, beautiful footage from all over the world. This new perspective on absurd animal antics is easy on the eyes and hilarious to the ears.”