Mary J. Blige inks comprehensive deal with BET over her blue butterfly banner and hosts talk show The Wine Down.

EXCLUSIVE: BET has signed an unwritten first-look deal and a written second-look deal with Mary J. Blige and her production company Blue Butterfly.

In addition to their partnership with BET, Blue Butterfly has secured a first-look TV deal with Lionsgate Television.

The first project from their first-look deal with BET is the unscripted series Down the winea talk show hosted by Blige that is currently in production. Down the wine “will bring together the hottest, most outspoken and most desirable people in entertainment, sports, social media and politics” for “raw, provocative, insightful and candid talks” about wine. Blige has her own wine label, Sun Goddess, with Italian winemaker Marco Fantinel, which launched in 2020. Guests will be announced at a later date.

The wind down Executive producers are Blige and her partners Ashaunna Ayars and Nicole Jackson, and Lisa Erspalmer and John and Jordan Davis of Davis Entertainment.

“BET has been one of my biggest supporters throughout my career,” the multihyphenate said in a statement. “The fact that I can now create together, that they support my vision for the type of content I’m going to create, is something I’m grateful and excited about. We already have several projects in the works and there are many more to come.”

Blue Butterfly Productions is a film, television and digital content company founded in 2019. Through Banner, she expands her career from storytelling to music to creating diverse stories and stories for all audiences in film.

Blue Butterfly recently produced their documentary with Amazon Studios, My Life by Mary J. Blige. They also launched the first sold-out Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit in May. They are currently in development for several TV and film projects, including the film True love with Lifetime and Sony Pictures Television.

News of their deal comes at the end of a boom year for Blige. She has been nominated for 6 Grammys, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year. She co-hosted the Super Bowl LVI Half-Time Show with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem and Kendrick Lamar. Blige also released her 15th studio album, good morning beauty, in February and recently stopped touring in support of the release.

“As we strive to provide our audiences with the very best in biopics and documentaries, we stand ready to remain at the forefront when it comes to providing high-quality, authentic on-screen representations of the life of culture’s leading Black talent.” and we are proud to expand the content portfolio through our partnership with Mary J. Blige’s production company, Blue Butterfly,” said Connie Orlando, EVP of Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy, BET. “During her long career, Mary paved the way to global superstardom. With Blue Butterfly, Mary develops compelling stories about the Black experience while uniquely using music to create the foundation. Mary has been an important part of the BET family and we look forward to seeing our partnership blossom through this partnership.”

As an actor, Blige plays the matriarch of the Tejada family, Monet in the hit series Starz Power Book II: Spirit. It was recently announced that the show’s third season will begin on April 17.

Blige is represented by APA, The Ayars Agency and Granderson Des Rochers.