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18 ENTERTAINMENT EXTRA Royal Center Locker Plant 1 x 9" By Michelle Rose TV Media I n case you missed it, a new season of "Worst Cooks in America" kicked off last week (Jan. 5, to be precise) on Food Network, where the culinary boot camp has become some- thing of a new year tradition. A few seasons have pre- miered at other times of the year — celebrity editions tend to be a spring or summer thing — but the cable channel likes to kick off the new year with a bang, ratings-wise, and it doesn't get much bigger than "Worst Cooks." The show reached more than seven mil- lion viewers in 2021, making it one of the Food Network's top five programs of the year. We're now into Season 24, which features the first-time pairing of perennial "Worst Cooks" star Anne Burrell with chef Cliff Crooks, whose own series "Chef Boot Camp" was renewed for a second season (expect that to land on Food later this year). The super-sized season open- er, which premiered one week earlier (Dec. 29) on discovery+, introduced 12 recruits, each of whom whipped up a loved one's favorite dish as part of the skills assessment round. In the Jan. 12 episode, boot camp transforms into a gladia- tor-style arena to test the con- testants' stamina, speed and palate. In the skill drill chal- lenge, they'll learn how to make a proper falafel platter before the main dish, a flavor-packed chicken adobo. There's lots more to come as the competition continues, but it's interesting to note that Season 24 of "Worst Cooks" was announced at the same time as Burrell's new deal. It seems 2021 was a big year for contract renegotiations and extensions among Food Network stars, and Burrell was among the latest to make headlines with an exclusive multi-year deal guaranteeing at least two more cycles of "Worst Cooks." At the time, Burrell was quoted as saying, "I am super excited to announce my multi- year deal with Food Network, which has been my extended family for almost two decades. I have the greatest time hosting 'Worst Cooks in America' and look forward to teaching our contestants and viewers on this show, as well as other series, how to cook like rock stars." We'll just have to wait and see what Burrell will do next — aside from more "Worst Cooks in America," which currently airs Wednesdays on Food Network. Order up: Burrell back for more 'Worst Cooks' Anne Burrell hosts another season of "Worst Cooks in America" Dune In this first half of a two-part fea- ture adaptation of Frank Herbert's 1965 science fiction novel, the House Atreides, led by Duke Leto (Isaac) and his concubine Lady Jessica (Ferguson), is tasked with taking over the rule of planet Ar- rakis, also referred to as "Dune." It is here that the extremely valu- able Melange is found, a natural sand-born spice mixture that be- stows heightened vitality and ex- panded consciousness upon its users. While the Atreides try to govern the planet's people and harvest the temperamental Me- lange, the house's heir, Paul (Chal- amet), learns to hone his own su- pernatural gift — a gift he must use to fulfil a great destiny on Ar- rakis by saving the future of his family and the planet's native Fre- men people. Director: Denis Villeneuve. Stars: Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Fer- guson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Ze- ndaya, Chang Chen, Sharon Dun- can-Brewster, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, Javier Bardem. 2021. 156 mins. Science Fiction. Mass In the years following a tragic and preventable school shooting, the parents of the shooter agree to meet with the parents of one of the victims in an attempt to find peace and move forward with their lives. An intimate portrait of grief, anger, acceptance and a parent's attach- ment to their child's legacy, this four-character drama takes place in a lone, emotion-riddled, Tennes- see Williams-esque room. Director: Fran Kranz. Stars: Reed Birney, Ann Dowd, Jason Isaacs, Martha Plimpton. 2021. Drama. Timothée Chalamet and Rebecca Ferguson as seen in "Dune" video releases Cass Plaza 2 x 2" U Know Pizza 2 x 2.5"

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