SOAPnet has announced that it has ordered ten one-hour episodes of Southern Belles, a new The Real Housewives-like docu-reality series that will follow the professional and romantic lives of five single, modern Southern women in their twenties and thirties.

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Southern Belles, which is currently shooting in Louisville, Kentucky, is being produced by Endemol USA in association with ABC Media Productions, with Joe Livecchi serving as executive producer.

Southern Belles' pickup was one of three new series orders announced by the network.  In addition to Southern Belles, the network has also ordered Greg Behrendt's Wake-Up Call, a new reality series that will see the comedian and author use his humor to counsel troubled couples, and Being Erica, a new scripted drama that will follow a single woman struggling to find out why her life is headed nowhere.

"SOAPnet remains committed to growing the soap genre and is increasing its original program offerings next year with new series that contain soapy' elements and complement the serialized drama found in our daytime and primetime offerings," said Brian Frons, the president of the Disney ABC-Television Group daytime programming group SOAPnet is part of. "In speaking to our viewers, we have learned that they are on a path of self discovery and each of our new series taps into that journey."

All three series are scheduled to premiere sometime in 2009, according to the network.


About The Author: John Bracchitta
John Bracchitta is an entertainment reporter for Reality TV World and covers the reality TV genre.