Classic Inside the Actors Studio episodes will re-air before the show returns

Inside the Actors Studio is moving from Bravo to Ovation, and losing its long-time host, James Lipton, who stepped down last fall. He’ll be replaced by a rotating group of actors.

And classic episodes of the show—which was Bravo’s original hit series, before it became The Real Housewives network—will re-air on Ovation before the new season begins, the network announced today. (Both the schedule of repeats, and the actors appearing in the first few episodes of the new season, are below.)

Bravo started airing the series in 1994, two years after MTV premiered The Real World.

The last new episode of Inside the Actors Studio aired on Bravo in January 2018, though the quantity slowed over the past decade, with episodes airing only sporadically since 2009 (just five episodes aired in all of 2017).

Last year, when the shift was announced, James Lipton said he would no longer host:

“It’s very gratifying to see the legacy of Inside The Actors Studio being carried forward for a new generation to appreciate and enjoy. I made a vow early on that we would not deal in gossip—only in craft, and Ovation, as a network dedicated to the arts, will continue that tradition with the next seasons of the series. I’m excited to see the new hosts engage with the guests and students and continue to entertain viewers in the U.S. and around the world.”

Lipton won’t be replaced by a permanent host; instead, the interviewer will change every episode, with actors interviewing other actors (and non-actors).

The new interviews are being filmed at Pace University’s Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts in New York City.

So far, these hosts and guests have been announced:

• Jane Lynch interviewing David Oyelowo
• Alec Baldwin interviewing Henry Winkler
• Kelsey Grammer interviewing sitcom director James Burrows

Inside the Actors Studio’s classic episodes

Classic episodes will air every Sunday at noon starting Aug. 11.

The first repeat is actually the very first Inside the Actors Studio episode, which first aired June 12, 1994, and had James Lipton interviewing Paul Newman.

The full lineup for the old episodes:

1. Aug. 11, Paul Newman (season 1)
2. Aug. 18, Halle Berry (season 13)
3. Aug. 25, George Clooney (season 18)
4. Sept. 1, Robin Williams (season 7)
5. Sept. 8, Jennifer Lopez (season 11)
6. Sept. 15, Jim Carrey (season 17)
7. Sept. 22, Bradley Cooper (season 17)
8. Sept. 29, Will Smith (season 8)