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'The Conners' Boss Hired to Run NBC's 'Newlyweds' After Firing

Helford, a veteran writer-producer who has run comedian-driven series for decades, steps in on the NBC sitcom co-created by Jamie Lee Curtis; the honeymoon starts early.

On air: Chip Darnell and Dale Bearman on BBN Newsroom
Published 2:08 PM ET, Thursday, October 15, 2026

Photo: Gabriel Hutchinson · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0

▶ As it aired · Pop Culture

Watch it as it aired: Chip Darnell and Dale Bearman on this story, from BBN Newsroom at 2:08 PM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are Variety's, the jokes are ours.

Photo: Gabriel Hutchinson · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Jamie Lee Curtis — Photo: Gabriel Hutchinson · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0

At a glance

First reported by Variety: “‘The Conners’ Boss Bruce Helford Hired to Run ‘Newlyweds’ at NBC After Gail Lerner’s Firing”.
Covered on BBN on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 2:08 PM ET on BBN Newsroom, by Chip Darnell and Dale Bearman.
Topics: NBC.
BBN covered this story before: Mike Tirico addresses Michael Jordan's disappointing interview with… (October 15).

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

Variety‘The Conners’ Boss Bruce Helford Hired to Run ‘Newlyweds’ at NBC After Gail Lerner’s Firing

What BBN said about it

Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorNBC has hired Bruce Helford, the man behind The Conners, to run its new sitcom Newlyweds after co-creator Gail Lerner announced she'd been fired as showrunner.
Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorA show about newlyweds, and the divorce comes before the premiere.
Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorHelford is a veteran writer and producer who has overseen comedian-driven series for decades, so the network is going with experience.
Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorExperience. That's what they call the new stepfather at the wedding reception.
Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorJamie Lee Curtis still co-created it with Lerner, so that's a family dinner I'd like to watch.
Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorMark my words, it will be the longest engagement in television.
Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorLonger than the show?
Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorI gave it until Friday.

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