Fresh off winning yet another Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Digital Drama Series, Gregori J. Martin’s The Bay is back in production adhering to safety guidelines and protocols amid the coronavirus pandemic as related by Deadline.

LANY Entertainment, the production entity behind the series expressed in a statement: “Strictly adhering to the newly established industry guidelines, LANY Entertainment and The Bay producers have implemented rigorous safety standards and protocols including a skeleton crew and most of the cast being quarantined on a private 800-acre property, in addition to regular COVID-19 testing, and mandatory daily temperature checks from an onset medical professional, ”

The Bay is being shot at a secure location away from and outside of Los Angeles County, where COVID-19 cases have recently spiked.

The upcoming sixth season will see Karrueche Tran returning as Vivian Johnson-Garrett, as she and her on-screen husband Pete (Kristos Andrews) are faced with important and socially relevant issues involving heart-wrenching COVID-19 and Black Lives Matter storylines.

Season 6 cast also includes John Aprea as former Mayor Jack Madison, Vanessa Williams, who last appeared as Cleo Harris in season 2, and returns as the new Bay City mayor, and Carrington Garland as realtor Kelly Johnson.

All new episodes of Season 5 will be released later this summer, followed by the 10-episode Season 6. The new season will premiere with a two-part 10th anniversary special on September 15, with the remaining episodes slated for release sometime in December.

The writing team this season consists of  Martin and executive story editor Wendy Riche. plus writers: Anne Schoettle (The Young and the Restless), Nick Peet (NBC’s Grimm) and Susan Dansby (Ambitions).

The Bay is currently available on Amazon Prime in the U.S. and is being distributed by GRB Studios internationally.

So looking forward to seeing how The Bay handles COVID-19 and Black Lives Matter stories in their upcoming season? Comment below.

From Katy Perry, to Kevin Hart, to Diane Keaton, some entertainment stars are coming forward in the defense of Ellen DeGeneres who is under fire for her talk show’s treatment of its employees and current and former staff members,

Now Ashton Kutcher, who has visited The Ellen DeGeneres Show on numerous occasion’s tweeted: “I haven’t spoken with @TheEllenShow and can only speak from my own experience. She & her team have only treated me & my team w/ respect & kindness. She never pandered to celebrity which I always saw as a refreshing honesty. When things aren’t right she handles it and fixes.”

DeGeneres’ wife, Portia de Rossi, also posted her support on social media of Ellen.  Others, like Tony Okungbowa, who served as the DJ on The Ellen DeGeneres Show for several years, spoke out about the “toxicity” he says he witnessed.

Tony expressed: “I was on air talent from 2003-2006 and from 2007-2013.While I am grateful for the opportunity it afforded me, I did experience and feel the toxicity of the environment and I stand with my former colleagues in their quest to create a healthier and more inclusive workplace as the show moves forward.”

The Ellen DeGeneres Show is said to be planning as return for its 18th season on September 9th and according to The Today Show, Telepictures confirmed to them that Ellen DeGeneres will return to the stage to host the 18th season of her namesake talk show that is currently the subject of an internal investigation.

So, what do you think of the latest developments in the ‘Ellen’ crisis? Comment below.

Two-time Daytime Emmy and Tony winner, Judith Light (Ex-Karen, One Life to Live) has a major project on the way in which she will not only star, but executive produce.  Light will serve as one of the EP’s along with Noah Wyle (Ex-ER) and the two will be part of the cast of Shadows in the Vineyard, which, according to Deadline will be a limited TV series, with a potential spinoff.

Shadows in the Vineyard is based on journalist Maximillian Potter’s bestselling book Shadows in the Vineyard: The True Story of the Plot to Poison The World’s Greatest Wine.  Production is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2021 in Europe.

Photo: JPI

Written by John Newman (Get Shorty, Proud Mary), Peter Cambor and Potter, Shadows in the Vineyard is set against the backdrop of the gorgeous, rolling countryside of the Côte-d’Or in Burgundy, France. The series is based on the true story of the outlandish 2010 plot-by-poison extortion scheme, a sinister criminal conspiracy that targeted the most sought-after and expensive wine in the world – the legendary Romanée-Conti.

The Landmark Studio Group will market the series, and one of its executives, David Ozer, who will also serve as another EP on the series shared: “Shadows in the Vineyard is rife with rich characters and a compelling narrative that will take viewers on a twisted tale of both a shocking who-done-it mystery and a journey of self-discovery that will resonate with a global audience,  With Maximillian, John, Peter and Sam leading the charge of capturing the heart of the story for the screen, along with the star talents of Judith and Noah and a beautiful location to create the ambience, we have no doubt that this series, which has spinoff potential, will be a hit.”

So, what do you think of Judith’s next project? Comment below.