Showtime Debuts Rachel Nichols Sports Talk Show

By R. Thomas Umstead
published

‘Headliners with Rachel Nichols’ series to feature NBA All-Star Joel Embiid in April 13 premiere episode

Showtime's 'Headliners with Rachel Nichols'
Showtime's 'Headliners with Rachel Nichols' (Image credit: Showtime)

Showtime will debut its new weekly sports talk show with former veteran TV sports personality Rachel Nichols on April 13.

The series, Headliners With Rachel Nichols, will air on Showtime Extreme as well as Showtime’s streaming and on demand platforms every Thursday throughout the NBA Playoffs, according to the network. The series will feature Nichols interviewing prominent NBA players and coaches, including NBA All-Star Joel Embiid, who appears in the first episode.

Other episodes in the series will include Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd and 2023 NBA Hall of Fame inductees Dwayne Wade and Dirk Novitzki. 

The series marks Nichols’ return to the small screen since leaving ESPN after being embroiled in a 2021 controversy surrounding disparaging comments she made against then fellow colleague and on-air host Maria Taylor. Nichols also hosts Showtime’s NBA-focused, weekly YouTube-based sports talk show.

R. Thomas Umstead
R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.