Gil Lerner's firing as host of NBC's "Newlyweds" leads the network to hire Bruce Helford, The Conners showrunner, to take over the show.

Following Gil Lerner's recent announcement that she was being fired as host of "Newlyweds," the NBC comedy she created with Jamie Lee Curtis, the network has hired Bruce Helford to take over. Helford is a veteran writer and producer who has created and overseen several sitcoms over decades. As a creator or […]

Following Gail Lerner's recent announcement that she was fired as host of "Newlyweds," the NBC sitcom she created with Jamie Lee Curtis, the network has hired Bruce Helford to take over.

Helford is a veteran writer and producer who has created and overseen several comedy series over the decades. As a creator or collaborator, his credits include The Drew Carey Show, The Norm Show starring Norm MacDonald, George Lopez, and more. He also wrote and executive produced the original The Daily, its 2018 revival, and its 2018-2025 sequel The Conners. Helford is repped by UTA and Ziffren Brittenham. RELATED STORIES Directors Ken Dominga Sotomayor's two-week film La Pera sold internationally

"Newlyweds" premieres on October 23. Lerner announced he was fired on Oct. 9, writing in an Instagram caption, "The reason I was given was 'creative differences.' Leadership, and I wouldn't change a thing." Popular in Variety

According to the official description, "Newlyweds" is "a late-life love story about Jeanie (Téa Leoni), a free woman, and James (Tim Daly), a buttoned-up professor, who marry after a whirlwind of speed dating. James only has eyes for Jean, but he quickly learns what it means to love her. You learn to love the wide, strange world of her friends and family, and vice versa." Along with Leonie and Dolly, Curtis, Emma Maisel, Ignacio Diaz-Silverio and Bill O'Neill are among its actors.

Lerner retains his executive producer credit alongside Helford. Curtis; Eric and Kim Tannenbaum and Jason Wang for Tannenbaum Inc. Scott Schwartz; and Lionsgate TV's Pam Fryman directed and executive produced the pilot. Universal Television is a studio.