‘Fear Factor’ to return this summer

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Q: Where is Fear Factor? They finally brought it back on Dec. 6^th and now it’s gone! Will it be back on? Or did they just tease us with a few new episodes?    —Jess

A: “Fear Factor,” according to NBC, “returns this summer with all-new episodes.” As of right now, there is no specific date, but the episodes that air this summer will include a multi-episode arc featuring reality TV stars, including “The Amazing Race”’s Jonathan and Victoria.

After returning last December with a new day and time (on Mondays) and a brand-new stunt team and innovative themed episodes (a series of episodes was filmed on the “Psycho” set), the show took a break for the Olympics. It was scheduled to return with the reality TV episodes in March, but was moved to summer instead.

At that time, TV Week reported that the show was being cancelled, as “staffers on NBC’s longest-running reality series are said to have moved on to their next jobs.”

However, an NBC spokesperson tells us that while Fear Factor “wrapped for production in December as planned, no decision has been made” about the show’s future.    —A.D.

Q: Whatever happened to the “Big Brother” series? Is it going to come back and if so, when?    —Jim

A: I'm always a little amazed at how many people write us throughout the year wondering where "Big Brother" is. It's always been a summer show, yet folks seem shocked that it's not running during the colder months. It never has, it probably never will. Summer, folks, summer! For six years now, the show has started in early July and runs into late September.

And it will do so again this year, but with a twist. CBS will be bringing back past participants for a "Big Brother: All Stars" edition. And viewers will get to choose the players, selecting from a pool of 20 former willing players. CBS has yet to announce how or when voting for the housemates will take place, but we'll keep you informed when they do.    —G.F.C.

Q: Why hasn’t Heidi worn anything designed by her “Project Runway” winner Jay?  —Laurie

A: Jay McCarroll’s one-hour “Project Jay” special, which aired toward the end of “Project Runway 2,” answered this question: Heidi Klum decided at the last second to wear an Emmy dress by Dior.

Last September, Jay was working feverishly to finish Heidi’s dress for the Emmys when he received a phone call from one of Heidi’s people. That woman told Jay that Heidi had decided on another dress, and Jay literally broke down. Just a few days earlier, Heidi told the media, “Jay’s very talented and innovative, so I’m looking forward to it.”

Apparently she changed her mind — something about the color and the look — but she never really gave a clear answer. However, it left Heidi Klum as the villain of “Project Jay” — a much more vicious villain than Santino or Wendy Pepper could ever be.    —A.D.

Gael Fashingbauer Cooper is MSNBC.com's Television Editor. Andy Dehnart is a writer and teacher who publishes reality blurred, a daily summary of reality TV news.

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