NBC announced today that preeminent matchmaker Amber Kelleher
-Andrews, relationship author Tracy McMillan and professional dating coach Matthew Hussey will join the innovative relationship series “Ready for Love,” premiering in Winter 2012-13.
The series, from executive producer Eva Longoria, UnbeliEVAble Entertainment, Renegade 83 and Universal Television, will give three successful and handsome men – Ben Patton (http://www.facebook.com/PattonB), an international financier from Dallas; Tim Lopez (http://www.facebook.com/TimJLopez), a member of the popular music group Plain White T’s from Santa Barbara, Calif., and Ernesto Arguello (ttp://www.facebook.com/arguelloernesto), an entrepreneur with a social vision from Miami – the chance to find their soul mate. The three relationship experts will bring their individual styles and experiences to help the girls and guys find their perfect match.
Giuliana and Bill Rancic will host the series where the three matchmakers will help the men find their perfect mates.
The announcement was made by Paul Telegdy, President, Alternative and Late Night Programming, NBC Entertainment.
“These are three of the best relationship experts in the world, each coming to the show with their own unique approaches to matchmaking and fostering healthy, long-lasting relationships,'” said Telegdy. “The chances of the men finding true love are infinitely better because the matchmakers hand-selected women they feel will be most compatible with each of the guys.”
Kelleher-Andrews is the CEO of Kelleher International, the top international search firm credited in the press with matching Fortune 500 CEO’s and A-list celebrities as well as members of the British royal family, Gettys, duPonts and Rockefellers. Kelleher-Andrews has been featured as a relationship expert and matchmaker on NBC’s Today Show, Good Morning America, 20/20, Entertainment Tonight and People magazine. In 1998, Kelleher-Andrews partnered with her mother Jill, and opened the second office of what is now considered the largest and most exclusive matchmaking firm in the world. She recently graced the cover of European CEO magazine and is a regular contributor for The Huffington Post. Kelleher-Andrews was awarded back-to-back global matchmaking awards for 2010 and 2011 and also received critical acclaim as host for her radio talk show, “The Rules of Engagement” where Kelleher-Andrews’ unique expertise provides insight into the challenges of dating in the modern world.
For McMillan, matchmaking isn’t a business — it comes out of being a friend. Over the past ten years, McMillan has been a go-to gal for friends, friends-of-friends, at her workplaces, and sometimes even just performing random acts of relationship advising wherever she happens to be. She draws from her life experiences — she grew up in foster care and has been married and divorced three — yes, three — times. She firmly believes that where you have your biggest challenges, is where you also have the most to give. Her experiences with marriage give her a unique perspective on what women are doing wrong — for better and for worse. McMillan’s background means she doesn’t speak down to women, but she does encourage them to get honest — very, very honest — with themselves. She feels that change always starts in the same place — within. With a combination of wit, insight, and a big, big heart Tracy has gotten hundreds of women ready for love — expertise she now brings to millions of viewers of “Ready for Love.” McMillan is also the author of “Why You’re Not Married… Yet” (Ballantine) the book based on the controversial and much-viralized 2011 Huffington Post blog which has tallied 2.2 million views so far — the most ever in the sites history. The book was also named one of Time magazine’s Top Ten Opinion Pieces of 2011. McMillan is also an accomplished television writer, whose credits include “Mad Men,” “United States of Tara,”” Necessary Roughness,” and “Life on Mars.” She’s the mother of a 15-year-old son and lives in Los Angeles. For more information on McMillan please go to http://www.tracymcmillan.com and for some of her writing check out her book “Why You’re Not Married Yet” or her article on The Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tracy-mcmillan/why-youre-not-married_b_822088.html.
Hussey’s rise to success as a motivational speaker has been meteoric. Early in his career, he spent two years dedicated to helping over 10,000 men fix their love life problems. As his reputation grew, Hussey found himself approached by increasing numbers of women, eager to hear what he had learned about the male perspective on love and romance. In 2008, Hussey formed a new company, GetTheGuy, focusing exclusively on relationships and aimed solely at women. The brand established Hussey as one of the leading experts in the field of human attraction in the U.K. and U.S. Now, through his viral Internet broadcasts, his sell-out weekend group workshops and his roster of private clients, he has been able to pass on his insights and strategies to 50,000 women in live events and over 4 million online. Corporate clients include Hugo Boss, Virgin, Proctor & Gamble, Accenture, British royalty and celebrities such as Christina Aguilera, whom he worked with personally in July 2011. He has also lectured at Oxford University to the Department of Neuroethics. Hussey is the new international guru of the dating and relationship-coaching scene. More information on Hussey can be found at www.howtogettheguy.com
The series begins with the matchmakers’ nationwide search for the potential perfect mate for each man. The three matchmakers will each select their team of 12 girls, four per guy. To be selected as part of a matchmaker’s group, the women will have to convince one of the three matchmakers that they’re a true fit and feel a real connection with one of the men. Once selected, the girls will live in three different houses where they will receive personalized advice and mentoring.
At the end of each week everyone will convene on a state of the art stage in front of a live audience to watch the dates and receive feedback from the matchmakers. The women who fail to make a connection with the men will be sent home. In an intense finale, the quest for love culminates when the three men choose their final three women, who together must decide if they’ll get engaged, married, or simply live happily ever after. No matter what happens — they will all discover if they are really “Ready for Love.”
Longoria, the Golden Globe-nominated, Screen Actors Guild Award-winning, and ALMA Award-winning actress, producer, businesswoman, and philanthropist, is best known for her starring role as Gabrielle Solis on “Desperate Housewives” for eight seasons. She has received numerous awards, including a People’s Choice Award for Favorite Female TV Star, a Teen Choice Award for “Choice TV Breakout Performance,” TV Guide’s “TV’s Sexiest Star,” People’s “50 Most Beautiful People” and “100 Most Beautiful People.”
“Ready for Love” is produced by UnbeliEVAble Entertainment, Renegade 83 and Universal Television. Longoria (“Desperate Housewives”), David Garfinkle (“Blind Date,” “Man Woman Wild”), Jason Ehrlich (“The Bachelor,” “The Bachelorette”), Greg Goldman (“Secret Millionaire,” “Don’t Forget the Lyrics!”), and Jay Renfroe (“Blind Date,” “Man Woman Wild”) serve as executive producers.
