Slim-Fast^® Presents: Dancing with the Stars - The Tour

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--“Dancing with the Stars,” ABC’s #1 rated unscripted show, is hitting the road and bringing its most popular team of stars and professional dancers from seasons 1-3 to 38 cities throughout the United States. The tour is scheduled to kick-off in San Diego on December 19th and will take its final bow in Atlantic City, on February 11^th, 2007. Tickets will go on sale on November 4, 2006. Fans should visit ABC.com for complete on sale details. Attracting an average audience of more than 19 million viewers, “Dancing With the Stars” currently ranks among the Top 5 most-watched shows on all of television, also qualifying as the TV’s No. 1 unscripted program.

“Dancing with the Stars – The Tour.”

The all-star team hitting the road includes Season One’s Joey McIntyre partnering with Season Three’s Kym Johnson, Season Two winners Drew Lachey & Cheryl Burke, Lisa Rinna & Louis Van Amstel, Season Three’s Joey Lawrence & Edyta Sliwinska, Willa Ford & Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Harry Hamlin pairing with Karina Smirnoff.

“Dancing with the Stars – The Tour” is sponsored by Slim-Fast and produced by BBC Worldwide, AEG LIVE and Front Line Management Group. The two hour show will feature a larger-than-life recreation of the TV show’s actual stage with an intimate nightclub style table seating on the floor allowing fans unparalleled sightlines and access to all of the action. As with the network show there will be a live orchestra to accompany the dances with popular modern day songs that have become a much loved aspect of the program.

"The tour gives us an unprecedented opportunity to evolve the Dancing brand," commented Paul Telegdy, SVP of BBC Worldwide Programming & Production. "As the current number one network show it is evident that our next step should be to take Dancing on the road and we’re delighted that Slim-fast is joining us on this journey. The production qualities of the television show are undoubtedly a key component to its success and we are confident that our partnership with AEG Live, will ensure The Tour will mirror this high standard that the public rightly associate with the brand."

“Dancing with the Stars – The Tour” will be choreographed by Louis Van Amstel with Carrie Ann Inaba serving as the show’s creative director. The live show will feature celebrity group and solo dances along with sets from the professional dancers. In addition, the show will feature two huge video screens to the left and right of the stage that will feature never-before-scene rehearsal footage and exclusive behind the scenes interviews and outtakes as well as many surprise extras.

“In partnering with BBC Worldwide and Front Line Management Group, Dancing With The Stars – The Tour will undoubtedly be one of the most exciting and unique shows on the road this year,” remarked Debra Rathwell, SVP, AEG LIVE. “We’re confident that audiences of all ages will enjoy the tour’s outstanding combination of incredible talent and state-of-the-art production.”

Visit abc.com for a complete list of tour dates for “Dancing with the Stars – The Tour.”

About BBC Worldwide Limited:

BBC Worldwide Limited is the main commercial arm and a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The company exists to maximise the value of the BBC’s assets for the benefit of the licence payer and invest in public service programming in return for rights. The company has seven core businesses: Global Channels, Global TV Sales, Magazines, Content & Production, Home Entertainment, Children's and Digital Media. In 2005/06 BBC Worldwide generated profits of £89 million on sales of £784 million.

About AEG LIVE

AEG LIVE, the live-entertainment division of Los Angeles-based AEG, is dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performance, touring for a variety of programming and multi-media production. AEG LIVE, the nation’s second largest concert promotion and touring company is comprised of special event, broadcast and exhibition divisions, eight regional offices and numerous state of the art venues nationwide. The company’s national promotion arm is currently producing tours and productions including Celine Dion A New Day…Presented By Chrysler now appearing at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and “Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs,” an international tour of the artifacts of King Tut. Recent and upcoming promoted concert tours have included artists such as Bon Jovi, Prince, Usher, Kenny Chesney, Rod Stewart, Paul McCartney, Dixie Chicks, American Idols Live and So You Think You Can Dance. Goldenvoice, the company’s southern California-based regional promotion division created and operates the award winning annual Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival. The company operates Nokia Theatre at Grand Prairie (Texas) and the Nokia Theatre Times Square, a 2,100-seat concert venue in Times Square.

About Slim∙Fast

Slim-Fast, a business unit of Unilever, offers delicious and balanced nutritional products, meal planning and exercise advice to aid in weight loss and weight maintenance, which can result in improved health. The Slim-Fast product line includes an affordable range of Shakes, Meal Bars, Powders and Snack Bars that are available in retail outlets nationwide. Visit slim-fast.com or call 1 800 SLIMFAST for more information.

About Unilever

Unilever [NYSE:UL] [NYSE:UN], one of the world’s largest consumer products companies, aims to add vitality to life by meeting everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care. Each day, around the world, consumers make 150 million decisions to purchase Unilever products. The company has a portfolio of brands that make people feel good, look good and get more out of life.

In the United States these brands include recognized names such as: Axe, “all,” Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Breyers, Caress, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Hellmann's, Lipton, Knorr, Popsicle, Promise, Q-Tips, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Snuggle, Suave, Sunsilk and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies. Dedicated to serving consumers and the communities where we live, work and play, Unilever in the United States employs approximately 15,000 people in 66 office and manufacturing sites in 24 states and Puerto Rico – generating more than $9 billion in sales in 2005. For more information visit www.unileverusa.com.