Report: STEVE HARVEY To Host New TV Talk Show In 2012

Steve Harvey is throwing his name into the 2012 syndication mix, working with Endemol USA to develop and produce a new talk show aimed to launch next fall.

Endemol, which Wednesday announced it was launching a scripted division, has been talking to Harvey about doing a show for at least two years, said David Goldberg, chairman of Endemol North America. NBCUniversal Television Distribution, with whom Endemol did business with the Howie Mandel-starrer Deal or No Deal, will distribute the show to TV stations.

"We go after things that we think make good television and then figure out where they are going to be," says Goldberg. "It isn't like we've been going out and taking tons of meetings so we could go out and get into syndication. We saw Steve Harvey as a huge talent, and thought that was a logical way to get into this business."

Harvey recently has made a splash in daytime television, starring on Family Feud, which is distributed by Debmar-Mercury and produced by FremantleMedia North America. Harvey took over as the show's host from John O'Hurley last fall and since then the show has grown steadily in the ratings. Feud now regularly turns in a third-place performance among game shows, behind CBS Television Distribution's long-running Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!. Feud grew 55% last season among daytime's key women 25-54 audience, making Feud syndication's fastest growing program.

Harvey also hosts the country's top-rated nationally syndicated morning radio show, Steve Harvey Morning Show, and has written two best-selling books. One of those books, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, is slated to be released as an adapted feature film in 2012.

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