Janelle James Set to Host Larger-Than-Life Competition Series for ABC, “The Final Straw” [VIDEO]

Comedian Janelle James will host the new, physical comedy competition series, “The Final Straw,” premiering Sunday, July 10 @ 9:00PM EDT, on ABC. NFL superstar Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions also joins the project as executive producer.

“‘The Final Straw‘ is a fresh and exciting format that you truly have not seen anywhere else. It’s a simple concept with big visuals that is sure to keep audiences on their toes and entertain families all summer long,” said Rob Mills, executive vice president, Unscripted and Alternative Entertainment, Walt Disney Television. “With Janelle’s spot-on comedic timing and Peyton’s knack for competition, we have the perfect duo to launch ABC’s newest unscripted series.”

“I’m thrilled to be part of a series that is as silly and fun as I am,” said James. “I’m looking forward to this opportunity to grow my relationship with ABC with my second comedy project on the network.”

“In my 18 seasons in the NFL, I have learned there is no better formula for success than a strategic plan and good teamwork,” said founder of Omaha Productions, Peyton Manning. “Both will be required in ‘The Final Straw’ as teams from across America execute their playbook to keep their towers standing!”

The stakes are high as four teams of colorful contestants face off to combat tremendous tipping towers. Each life-sized themed tower is chock full of various objects ranging from basketballs to small kitchen appliances as contestants try to successfully pull items from the stack without tipping it over in order to earn prizes. If the tower falls, the team is eliminated; and the last team standing will compete against The Mega Stack, an epic battle of physics where the odds are literally stacked against them, in hopes of winning a life-changing grand prize of up to $250,000 with the option to walk away or risk it all.

JANELLE JAMES BIO

Janelle James is a New York/Los Angeles-based comedian. She has toured with Chris Rock, Amy Schumer, and David Cross, among others. James took over the reins of the Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival, now known as the Janelle James Comedy Festival in Brooklyn. She was included in the Just for Laughs Montreal New Faces category for 2016 and named one of the 50 Funniest People in Brooklyn in 2016. Most recently, Variety listed James as a Top 10 Comedian to Watch in 2020. Her debut album, “Black and Mild,” was released September 2017 on all major streaming networks. James has written and appeared on Showtime’s “Black Monday,” Apple TV+’s “Central Park,” and is currently a series regular on the ABC sitcom “Abbott Elementary.”

“The Final Straw” is produced by B17 Entertainment in association with Omaha Productions and Walt Disney Television Alternative. Peyton Manning, Brien Meagher, Rhett Bachner, and Sarah Happel Jackson serve as executive producers; and Keith Geller serves as showrunner and executive producer.