Have you noticed all your favorite shows from the ’70s and ’80s are suddenly making a comeback? It’s true! This summer all the major networks are bringing back old classics like The Gong Show and Love Connection. And this week ABC is relaunching the guilty-pleasure competition show, Battle of the Network Stars.
The glossy new revamp, which has been off the air since 1988, airs on Thursday, June 22 with a brand new line-up of TV stars, as well as some familiar faces who used to appear on the original series.
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Premiered in 1976, the show took celebrities from TV programs across all the major network channels and had them compete against each other on teams via an array of Olympic-like activities, from relay races to obstacle courses. The winning team usually got $20,000 in prize money, which was a lot of money back then! The show performed well enough for it to last until 1988.
This year, a new class of TV actors are joining the Battle family, from Tom Arnold to Joey Lawrence. The 2017 remake also has a different format from the original. Instead of an hourly special, the show will be broken up into weeks with two different teams competing against each other every episode. Some of the teams include “TV Sitcoms vs. TV Kids,” “Cops vs. Sci-Fi/Fantasy,” “Troublemakers vs. TV Lifeguards,” and “TV Moms & Dads vs. TV Kids.”
The reboot will also feature real athletes like Ronda Rousey and DeMarcus Ware as team captains, and sports announcer Mike Greenberg will be hosting. From sports to retro nostalgia, the show has a little something for everyone.
But in case you want to take a walk further down memory lane, check out the gallery below to see pictures of stars from the original Battle of the Network Stars vs. today’s.
