A&E's 2009 Emmy® Award-winner for Outstanding Reality Program "Intervention" and critically acclaimed "Hoarders" return for all-new seasons with back-to-back premieres on Monday, November 30th at 9:00 PM ET/PT and 10:00PM ET/PT.
The eighth season premiere of "Intervention," features Linda, who after graduating from college found success working as an extra in Hollywood, achieving the glamorous life she always wanted. Linda's dreams died when she came down with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a rare disorder characterized by joint dislocations. Linda started taking Fentanyl, a painkiller 100 times stronger than morphine. As her painkiller use escalated, she claimed that different sources were causing her pain, including electricity, energy, colors, and even specific people. Despite Linda's wild claims, her mother clings to the belief that Linda's pain is real and she must do everything to help her, including depleting the family's savings and sending her son to be Linda's caretaker.
"Intervention" is a powerful and gripping series in which people confront their darkest demons and seek a route to redemption. The Emmy® and five-time PRISM Award-winning series profiles people whose dependence on drugs and alcohol or other compulsive behavior has brought them to a point of personal crisis and estranged them from their friends and loved ones. Each episode ends with a surprise intervention that is staged by the family and friends of the addict, and which is conducted by one of two specialists: Jeff Van Vonderen and Candy Finningan. Exclusive updated interviews with past subjects from the series first seven seasons are available on AETV.com/intervention.
The series has conducted 143 interventions since its premiere in March of 2005, 111 individuals are currently sober.
The second season premiere of "Hoarders," the number one freshman non-fiction series on cable among adults 25-54, will introduce Augustine, whose son Jason was removed from her home by Child Protective Services 14 years ago, because of her hoarding. She was never able to clean up enough to have him return. Now, as an adult living on the other side of the country, he is filled with shame and resentment, but unable to turn his back on her. Augustine's hoarding has become so severe that she has lived without water, gas, heat or appliances for the last four years -- bathing only once a week at her sister's house. Complaints from neighbors have instigated a court ordered clean-up and the city is threatening to condemn her house. Now, "Hoarders" follows Jason as he tries one last time to rescue his mother from the filth he escaped from years ago.
"Hoarders" explores the world of extreme hoarding; a mental disorder marked by an obsessive need to collect things, even if the items are worthless, hazardous or unsanitary. The series takes a fascinating look at the lives of people whose inability to part with their belongings is so out of control that they are on the verge of a personal crisis. Whether they're facing eviction, the loss of their children, jail time, or divorce, they are all desperately in need of help. The series captures the drama as experts work to put each hoarder on the road to recovery.
Inspired by the incredible response from viewers, individuals and families in recovery to "Intervention," A&E Network along with leading federal agencies and non-profit organizations launched The Recovery Project. The multi-year, multi-platform initiative was designed to help raise awareness that addiction is a treatable disease and recovery is possible. This past September more than 10,000 people, including individuals and families in recovery, treatment partners and advocates from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, gathered in New York City for a historic walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to symbolize unity and hope for recovery. The walk ended in Cadman Plaza and was followed by a rally featuring public speakers and a performance by Smokey Robinson.
A&E continues to co-host, along with the Partnership for a Drug Free America (PDFA), and leading MSOs such as Time Warner Cable, Cox and Comcast, Intervention Town Hall meetings in cities across the country. The Town Hall meetings offer opportunities for parents, teens, addicts, government officials, health professionals, substance abuse prevention experts and educators to develop a better understanding about the root causes and consequences of addiction.
"Intervention" is produced for A&E Network by GRB. Executive Producers are Dan Partland and Sam Mettler. A&E Executive Producers are Robert Sharenow and Colleen Conway.
"Hoarders" is produced for A&E by Screaming Flea Productions. Executive Producers are Jodi Flynn, Matt Chan and Dave Severson. A&E Executive Producers are Robert Sharenow and Andy Berg.
