Nick & Jessica: They're Back

ABC gives go-ahead for Nick & Jessica Christmas variety show after the success of their Easter special

By Lia Haberman Apr 15, 2004 3:45 PMTags

Had enough of Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson's tanned, toothy and chiseled mugs? Well, too bad.

Buoyed by the success of last week's ABC variety show, The Nick & Jessica Variety Hour, the camera-friendly pair is set to return for a Christmas special.

The ode to '70s kitsch, which channeled Sonny and Cher in overall style and included a sappy rendition of "I've Got You Babe," drew a respectable 11.5 million viewers and was tops among coveted young viewers--hence Nick & Jessica: Part Deux.

ABC has yet to officially announce the Yuletide special--indeed, agents have yet to earn their 10 percent--but a network source confirmed to E! on Wednesday that everyone's on board for the jingle ball.

Also on the horizon for TV's most goofily endearing (or is it annoying?) couple:

A new season of MTV's Newlyweds is set to debut in June. The Simpson-Lacheys just wrapped the second season of their dysfunctional domestic reality series.

Last fall, Jessica inked a solo sitcom deal with the Alphabet net. (The show is currently in development.)

Nick recently signed his own deal with ABC, snagging a role in a sitcom pilot called Hot Mom which stars Gina Gershon.

She's considering possible roles in The Dukes of Hazzard, I Dream of Jeannie and Marvel's Mort, the Dead Teenager.

He's considering running for the mayor's office in his native Cincinnati. The job, once held by TV talker Jerry Springer, "would be an interesting role to play," Lachey told People magazine.

Meanwhile, TV viewers who go out of their way to avoid the multimedia couple could find themselves out of luck. Nick & Jessica (how long before they become Nessica or Jessick?) are guest starring on Thursday night's Apprentice finale, while Simpson performs Sunday night on VH1 Divas live show from Las Vegas.

Consider yourself warned.