FOX Rebooting Classic Show, Premiere Airs Next Week

Joe Millionaire, one of the most-watched reality dating shows in history, is returning years after the series went off the air. In November, FOX announced that the show would be making a comeback, but this time with a twist. The show is returning with a special two-hour event premiere on Thursday, Jan. 6

The show first debuted in 2003 and chronicled single women vying for the affection of a bachelor they thought to be a millionaire. In the finale, the man reveals that he is not. But, if the woman chooses to continue the relationship, the couple wins a high-valued prize. The show was watched by an average of 34 million viewers. A follow-up season, The Next Joe Millionaire, was not as successful.

In FOX’s revival, Joe Millionaire: For Richer or Poorer, the show will feature two bachelors: one who is a millionaire and one who is not. The show is set to debut in Jan. 2022. The project is one of FOX Alternative Entertainment and is produced by SallyAnn Salsano of 495 Productions.

“This revival of Joe Millionaire represents a potent combination: one of the most innovative and popular dating shows of all time with SallyAnn Salsano, who ranks among the most fearless producers in the business,” Rob Wade, President of Alternative Entertainment & Specials for FOX Entertainment said in an official announcement. “I’ve long admired Joe Millionaire for its daring premise, and since the moment I joined FOX, I’ve wanted to bring it back in the spotlight in a whole new way for both new viewers and fans of the original.”

The 2003 show is the highest-rated and most-watched debut season for an unscripted series of the past 20 years.  The Season One finale of Joe Millionaire set the record as the highest-rated and most-watched unscripted entertainment series telecast of the past two decades, which excludes post-NFL. 

Following the telecast, the new show will be available on FOX Entertainment’s free streaming platform, Tubi. Tubi currently features 30,000 movies and television shows from over 250 content partners. The original first season of Joe Millionaire is also now available on Tubi.