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Somm TV, a streaming service dedicated to food, wine and travel content, has greenlit a second season of competition series “Sparklers.” Joel McHale has joined the series as a celebrity guest judge.
“Sparklers,” which received a James Beard Award nomination for its first season, follows contestants as they compete to cook different meals and pair them with sparkling wines. Each episode is divided into two parts: The first features a guest judge while in the second, contestants come together to judge themselves. Among the Season 2 cast is Shakera Jones, who hosts the Somm TV podcast “A Glass For Every Palate” and is the founder of the website BlackGirlsDineToo.
McHale, known for starring in “Community” and hosting “The Soup,” is the first guest judge to be joining “Sparklers” Season 2. Judges to be announced include other TV personalities as well as celebrity chefs and athletes. Additionally appearing are Season 1 cast members George Walker, Meghan Zobeck, Maryam Ahmed, Matthew Kaner and winner Claire Coppi, who now serves as an on-air host and wine communications manager for Somm TV.
Production is set to begin in spring 2023, with the season debuting later that year. Ahead of its premiere, Somm TV will relaunch Season 1 including a blooper reel and reunion special timed near International Champagne Day on Dec. 31.
“I’m very excited to eat and drink on camera in Season 2 of ‘Sparklers,’” McHale said. “Thank you Somm TV. It’s important work and somebody has to do it. My liver has never been more excited.”
“The opportunity to make a second season of Sparklers sits at the very top of the things I’m most excited about for SOMM TV. We’re thrilled that the show got so much visibility and that we get to give voice to the contestants and judges who are literally the new generation of food and wine pros at the forefront of today’s culinary world,” said Somm TV chief creative officer Jason Wise.
