Mike Rowe to Star in Facebook Series ‘Returning the Favor’

Former Dirty Jobs host Mike Rowe is set to star in one of two new original series that will be streamed on Facebook as the social media giant begins its foray into scripted programming.

Returning the Favor will see Mike Rowe travel across America shinning a spotlight on people putting their communities first, like “a motorcycle mechanic who runs an operation helping vets with PTSD,” according to Deadline.

The second as-yet-untitled project will feature newly-drafted Los Angeles Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball, his siblings Liangelo and LaMelo and his parents LaVar and Tina Ball.

“Our goal is to make Facebook a place where people can come together around video,” Nick Grudin, VP Media Partnerships at Facebook said. “To help get there, we’re supporting a small group of partners and creators as they experiment with the kinds of shows you can build a community around — from sports to comedy to reality to gaming. We’re focused on episodic shows and helping all our partners understand what works across different verticals and topics. We’re funding these shows directly now, but over time we want to help lots of creators make videos funded through revenue sharing products like Ad Break.”

Rowe, an outspoken supporter of the American job market, recently narrated the Discovery Channel’s gold rush series Bering Sea Gold and Deadliest Catch: The Bait.

 

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