This was reported announced (in relation to the announced, but then scrapped 'Let's Dance"), but here's the official press release from ABC:
November 11, 2009
PREMIERE
“FIND MY FAMILY,” A HEARTWARMING NEW SERIES THAT
BRINGS FAMILIES TOGETHER, PREMIERES MONDAY, NOV. 23,
FOLLOWING “Dancing with the Stars’”
From the producer of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” comes the highly anticipated “Find My Family,” a program with one simple mission -- to bring families back together. With the help of a dedicated team of researchers, hosts Tim Green and Lisa Joyner guide people searching for lost loved ones through emotional journeys that will change their lives forever. The heartwarming new series premieres MONDAY, NOV. 23 (9:30-10:00 p.m. ET), following “Dancing with the Stars.” Full-hour editions of the show will air Mondays from 9:00-10:00 p.m., ET beginning MONDAY, NOV. 30.
Each episode of the television series is a one-hour, self-contained show full of moving moments and tears of joy, when mothers, fathers, daughters and sons who lost touch for decades are reunited. The show will begin with the emotional back stories of two different families in search of lost relatives. With minimal information, the “Find My Family” team will begin the difficult and frustrating process of sifting through archives and tracking down records until they uncover the missing links. Then Lisa Joyner will reach out to the newly-found family members and let them know that someone from their biological family has been looking for them. Tim Green will narrate each story as it unfolds and meet with the people who originated the search. The in-person reunions will take place at the “Family Tree.”A follow-up with each family will conclude each episode.
In the premiere episode, Green and Joyner -- both of whom are adopted themselves -- head to Brookfield, WI to meet Scott and Sandy Steinpas, loving parents who are searching for the daughter they gave up when they were just teenagers. Sandy was just 15 years old when she met Scott and they started dating. In June of 1979 Sandy found out she was pregnant, and instantly she and Scott knew their lives were about to change. They had not been together long, were still living with their parents, and had no idea what the responsibility of raising a family, being married, or even paying a bill entailed. Because they could barely support themselves, let alone a baby, they decided to give their baby up for adoption -- a huge decision that shaped their lives from that point forward. Scott and Sandy stayed together against all odds and have been married for 27 years. They have raised three beautiful children, but something, or someone, has always been missing. Scott and Sandy have spent thousands of dollars and almost a decade searching for the daughter they gave up 29 years ago, but to no avail. Now, it’s up to the “Find My Family” team to reunite this family who have, unknowingly, been living just miles apart.
Tom Forman (“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” “Kid Nation”), Julie Laughlin-Jones (“Shear Genius,” “Fat March,” “Extreme Makeover”), Chris Coelen (“Wife Swap,” “Don’t Forget the Lyrics,” “How to Look Good Naked”) and Tony Yates (“Shaq’s Big Challenge,” “Supernanny,” “Project Greenlight”) are executive producers. “Find My Family” is produced by RelativityReal and RDF USA.
And now, for the latest edition of Unscripted, Reality Programming…
Meh.
American version of Spoorloos (3 milion viewers in Amsterdam where only 16 milion people live)
yawn thank god for Fox and CBS
I’m sure this crap will be a hit
It’s actually a really heartwarming moving show in Australia (I’m not sure if that’s where it originated from) – but I highly recommend it if you like that sort of thing.
Oh NO!
Like somebody said previously, thank god for FOX and CBS.
ABC has to be one of the worst networks on TV right now, its badder than NBC right now and its a darn shame b/c it used to be the best of the best.
I like unscripted – but yech to this. We don’t need another Extreme Make Over Home Edition which is nothing more than Queen for a Day. (If you don’t know what that is – you are definitely under 60! Hint: it doesn’t have anything to do with alternative life-styles.)
I guess they dumped Kathy Griffin for this. Probably a smart move ratings-wise.
Wow they shouldn’t use this slot after DWTS to promote another show! I mean, they have like Ugly Betty on that time slot to get back viewers and have that new show follow Supernanny!
I mean come on! It’s the perfect combo. Supernanny/Find my family!
I mean you can’t move a new show like FlashForward to Mondays, it’s still brand new and people might get confused. Just put Ugly Betty after DTWS and it will be all good. I think…
Yuck.
More crap from ABC! Cancelling “Eastwick” and treating “Ugly Betty” like a bastard at a family reunion is really going to make me stop watching EVERYTHING on ABC! They order more episodes of the awful “the forgotten” which should just be forgotten! “Eastwick” was original and fun and should have at least had the benefit of following one of ABC hits such as “Desperate Housewives” or “DWTS.”
That sounds like it could be the worst show ever made.
“From the producer of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” comes the highly anticipated…”
Wait, what?
“(If you don’t know what that is – you are definitely under 60! Hint: it doesn’t have anything to do with alternative life-styles.)”
I’m way under 60 and know what you’re talking about, but dang I like your version better! It could be hosted by Johnny Weir and air on Bravo!
Isn’t there already another American cable program, “The Locator” or somesuch that finds people? How about a show called “Lose My Family” instead? People with the most wretched inlaws, deadbeat, thieving siblings and abusive parents get picked to enter a witness protection program, relocated to another part of the country, names changed and able to start a brand new life, with one last parting video message to their family, telling them they never want to see them again? It could be hosted by Katey Segal and Ed O’Neill. Now that I’d watch. Of course, then the host of “The Locator” would try to find the relocated people for the evil families, and we’d have quite the cross-channel squabble, making it even more compelling…..
Why cant there be a way to find a lost family member without it costing you so much? Espically if the one you are looking for is not mentally able to even know they are adopted. She is now 29 years old, and I cant afford to search for her. Do you have any comments? My daughter is 29 yrs old and she will never find me but I would love to help searching for her.
Why cant there be a way to find a lost family member without it costing you so much?
NBC should revive “Unsolved Mysteries.”
Find My Family is a australian hit show between old people. (adaptation of a deutch format)
Very strange to see this kind show on abc and in a monday slot!
more yet because this show have a old plot, smells like 90′s!
Sounds like more of a retread of another country’s show rather than actually coming up with something original. ABC is becoming more of a cable network programmer on broadcast.
Oh noes
Poor Castle, I think we will see the return of the Surviving Suburbia situation, where a crap show that airs between DWTS and Castle kills a good number of Castles audience.
This show apprentlry originated in Germany, but the US once is more based on the Austrlian one. This show is HUGE in Austrlia. A few Aussie shows are being picked up. Fox has picked up the Aussie Fomat of MasterChef, ABC has with Find My Family and Packed to the Rafters (a family drama) and CBS has picked up Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Generation (a panel/quiz show seeing which generation is better at identifying world events, pop culture phases and different fashions…very funny stuff) Hope they do ok, since NBC has had epic fails with Kath and Kim and Thank God You’re Here, 2 of the biggest shows on Aussie TV
hahahah We have a show like that here in Brazil… Actually, it’s Find My Family + Extreme Makeover HE + “let’s help this homeless, give him a house, a job and explore his life story”. Every sunday, for 4 hours (Programa do Gugu – 8pm~12am). Terrific show. -not