Short for E! Entertainment Television
, E! is a channel dedicated to news and gossip about the entertainment industry. It is owned by NBCUniversal (which in turn is owned by Comcast), thus is a sister channel to NBC, USA Network, Syfy, etc. From its founding in 1987 until 1990, the network was known as Movietime.
Notable for its E! True Hollywood Story documentary series, which is essentially the general entertainment version of VH1's Behind The Music.
Their Canadian counterpart had previously been known as Star!, and was owned by CHUM Limited before CTVglobemedia (now Bell Media) bought them in 2006; Star! rebranded as E! in 2010. Prior to then, the E! name, logo, and some programming were licensed to Canwest (owners of Global Television Network), which rebranded its secondary TV system, CHnote , as E! in 2007. But due to a crippling debt load, Canwest went bankrupt in 2009, resulting in the CH/E! system being dismantled as the stations were either sold off or shuttered.
Original programming:
- After Lately (2011-2013) - Features Insult Comic Chelsea Handler, who also headlined The Chelsea Handler Show (2006) and Chelsea Lately (2007-2014)
- The Arrangement (2017-2018)
- The Dance Scene (2011)
- Dr. 90210 (2004-2008, 2020)
- E! True Hollywood Story (1996-2021)
- Fashion Police (2010-2017)
- The Girls Next Door (2005-2010) aka Girls Of The Playboy Mansion, and its spinoffs Kendra (2009-2011) and Holly's World (2009-2011)note . Both co-produced with Fox Television Studios.
- Keeping Up with the Kardashians (2007-2021) and its multitude spin-offs. A major Cash-Cow Franchise for the network.
- Love You, Mean It With Whitney Cummings (2012-2013) - Produced with Borderline Amazing Productions (Chelsea Handler's company).
- The Royals (2015-2018) - E!'s first scripted series. Produced by Lionsgate Television and Universal Cable Productions (E! is owned by NBCUniversal Cable).
- The Soup (2004-2020) - A retooled version of Talk Soup (1991-2002), which was hosted by Greg Kinnear from 1991 to 1995, a few years before his film career took off.
- Total Divas (2013-2019)
"Trope of Culture":
- Documentary: The E! True Hollywood Story.
- Reality Shows: Their stock in trade, and they seem capable of making these about anyone.
- Talk Show: Chelsea Lately.
