Drop Dead Diva - Season 3 - Press Release

SEASON THREE OF LIFETIME TELEVISION'S CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED HIT SERIES "DROP DEAD DIVA" TO PREMIERE SUNDAY, JUNE 19

BREAKOUT STAR BROOKE ELLIOTT AND ENSEMBLE CAST RETURN FOR 13 NEW EPISODES

LOS ANGELES, CA (May 3, 2011) - Season three of Lifetime Television's hit series Drop Dead Diva will premiere Sunday, June 19, 2011, at 9pm ET/PT. The one-hour, comedic drama tells the story of a shallow wannabe model who dies in a sudden accident only to find her soul resurfacing in the body of a brilliant, plus-size and recently deceased attorney, Jane. Produced by Sony Pictures Television, Drop Dead Diva features breakout star Brooke Elliott (Wicked, Taboo), Margaret Cho (Dancing with the Stars, Notorious C.H.O.), Jackson Hurst (Living Proof), Kate Levering (Cashmere Mafia), April Bowlby (Two and a Half Men), Josh Stamberg (Lie to Me) and Ben Feldman (The Perfect Man). The third season of Drop Dead Diva will feature 13 new episodes.

Currently in production in Atlanta, Drop Dead Diva's season three opener will once again be a celebrity-packed celebration, as entertainer Paula Abdul (Live to Dance) reprises her role as Jane's (Elliott) voice of reason to give her some sage advice about her relationship with Grayson (Hurst). LeAnn Rimes (Nora Roberts' Northern Lights) also guest stars as the estranged soon-to-be ex-wife to a hard-partying celebrity who is on trial for a hit-and-run case that Jane takes on. Additionally, the premiere episode will guest star talk-show host Wendy Williams (The Wendy Williams Show, Dancing with the Stars), Mario Lopez and features a musical dream sequence with the cast of Drop Dead Diva, choreographed by So You Think You Can Dance' Keith "Tyce" Diorio.

Some of the other guest stars this season include Kathy Griffin, Wanda Sykes, Clay Aiken, Lance Bass, Amanda Bearse, Tony Goldwyn, Howard Hesseman, Sharon Lawrence, Faith Prince, Jennifer Tilly, Louis Van Amstel and many more.

Drop Dead Diva: The Complete Second Season debuts on DVD May 3rd.

ABOUT DROP DEAD DIVA

In the first season of Drop Dead Diva, beautiful-but-vapid model wannabe Deb, suddenly finds herself in front of Heaven's gatekeeper, Fred (Feldman), following a fatal car crash. Outraged by her sudden demise, she attempts to persuade Fred to return her to her shallow existence but is accidentally relegated to the body of the recently deceased Jane Bingum (Elliott). An intelligent, thoughtful and plus-size attorney with a loyal assistant, Teri (Cho), Jane has always lived in the shadow of her colleagues whereas Deb has always relied on her external beauty. By a twist of fate and a bolt of divine intervention, Deb must come to terms with inhabiting Jane's curvier frame and learn to reconcile her beauty queen ways with her brilliant, new mind.

At the close of Drop Dead Diva's second season, Jane is left speechless when following a car accident, Grayson recognizes her as Deb before falling into a coma. As she anxiously waits for him to wake, Jane finds herself struggling with her desire to reveal who she is, despite warnings from Fred.

Josh Berman (Bones, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation) is creator and executive producer. Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (Academy Award(R)-winning Chicago, Hairspray, Lifetime's Living Proof) of Storyline Entertainment and Alex Taub (Eli Stone) are executive producers.

Source: Lifetime