APOLO ANTON OHNO TO HOST MINUTE TO WIN IT

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TELEVISION

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Apolo Anton Ohno

GSN announced that Apolo Anton Ohno, one of the most decorated American athletes of all time and DANCING WITH THE STARS champion, will be the host of GSN's new series MINUTE TO WIN IT. GSN's production of 40 new original episodes marks the first time the series has been developed by a U.S. cable network. The episodes are to be produced by Shine America - based on the format owned by Shine's sister company Friday TV. MINUTE TO WIN IT begins production in March and is slated to premiere in summer 2013.

"All my life I have welcomed unique challenges and now, for the first time, I have the opportunity to tackle a new one by hosting MINUTE TO WIN IT, said Ohno. From speed skating to dancing, it's only fitting that I selected a show with wild and creative challenges for my inaugural hosting role. Bring it!

Short-track speed skater Ohno holds eight Olympic medals—two gold, two silver and four bronze—from the 2002, 2006 and 2010 Winter games, more than any other American Winter Olympian in history. In addition, he earned eight gold, seven silver and six bronze medals in seven World Championship competitions. Ohno's speed skates from the 2002 Winter Olympics are housed at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.

In 2007, Ohno brought his winning style to DANCING WITH THE STARS, first partnering with Julianne Hough in Season Four. The pair received the first perfect score of 30 in the shows history for their samba routine—and went on to become the season champions. He returned to the show in the fall of 2012 as a member of the first DANCING WITH THE STARS All-Star cast. Recently the athlete, actor, bestselling author and philanthropist has been bringing light to the subject of exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB), a breathing disorder that handicapped Ohno before it was successfully diagnosed and treated in 2000.

In each one-hour episode of MINUTE TO WIN IT, competitors face 10 challenges that escalate in level of difficulty using everyday household items. Each game has a one-minute time limit and failure to finish the task on time will eliminate the contestant. At various points throughout the game, the competitor can walk away with the money earned up to that point - but it'll take nerves of steel to complete all 10 tasks to win $250,000.

About GSN

GSN is a multimedia entertainment company that offers original and classic game programming and competitive entertainment via its 75-million subscriber television network and online game sites. GSN's cross-platform content gives game lovers the opportunity to win cash and prizes, whether through GSN's popular TV game shows or through GSN Digital free casual games, mobile and social games, and cash competitions. GSN is distributed throughout the U.S., Caribbean and Canada by all major cable operators, satellite providers and telcos. GSN and its subsidiary, WorldWinner.com, Inc., are owned by DIRECTV and Sony Pictures Entertainment. For further information, please visit GSNTV.com.

About Shine America:

Shine America is a world leader in producing and distributing compelling scripted and unscripted television and digital content. Shine America is known for popular and award-winning original series including The Biggest Loser and The Face, as well as adaptations of Shine Group formats such as MasterChef and Minute to Win It, and scripted series including The Office and the upcoming FX drama The Bridge. Shine America has development deals with some of the top producers in television including Nigel Lythgoe (Nigel Lythgoe Productions) and its own unscripted format label in Ardaban, led by the creators of the hit Food Network series Chopped. Shine Hispanic & Latin America, a new division of Shine America, is producing and distributing original Spanish-language content to the U.S. and Latin American marketplaces.

The global Shine 360¢ª division builds brands through the leveraging of its intellectual property and creating integrated marketing opportunities for advertisers. The company has also developed over 20 ground-breaking original online series on MSN, Yahoo!, YouTube premium channels and other platforms, many produced in partnership with global brands such as Walmart, Toyota, Kraft Foods, Subway and Microsoft. Through Shine Groups distribution arm, Shine International, Shine America distributes its extensive library of programming and formats to more than 150 countries. Visit www.shineamerica.com for further information.

Photo Courtesy Of: GSN