Goodbye Travel Channel, hello CNN. That's what traveling chef and television host Anthony Bourdain has announced to the world. Known for his tough guy persona and sarcastic sincerity, sometimes perceived as rudeness, Anthony Bourdain will host a new weekend travel show set to debut in early 2013.
At first glance, news-oriented CNN seems like an odd switch, given Bourdain's bad boy reputation. But maybe that's just what network needs. Since 2005, the chef and author traveled the world with his award-winning television show Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, taking viewers to exciting and unconventional destinations like Uzbekistan and war-torn Beirut, Laos and Liberia.
Bourdain has penned New York Times bestseller Kitchen Confidential and A Cook's Tour and has more books in the pipeline. He said in a statement through CNN that he was excited about the move: ''I'm really looking forward to coming over to CNN. I think the world is going to get a whole lot bigger for me. I hope that old fans and new ones will be excited about what's coming down the road.''
Bourdain's yet-to-be-titled show will be produced by Zero Point Zero Production, which has worked with the famed chef for a decade, producing Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, A Cook's Tour, The Layover and Decoding Ferrán Adriá. It will air on CNN Sundays at primetime, with repeats on Saturday nights.
Aside from hosting his new show, Bourdain will contribute commentaries to other CNN shows. Are you excited about Bourdain's new show? Watch a clip of his eight seasons of No Reservations in 60 seconds.