Derek “Fonzworth Bentley” Watkins Announced As New Host Of BET’s LIFT EVERY VOICE

BET Networks announced Derek “Fonzworth Bentley” Watkins has signed on as the new host of “Lift Every Voice.”   The artist, author, actor, producer and entrepreneur joins “Lift Every Voice” this Sunday, January 26, 2014 at 10AM*. Watkins brings his legendary style and sophistication to the show as he discusses life, faith and personal development with some of today’s most inspiring mainstream and Gospel celebrities. This season’s “Lift Every Voice” guests include: Ja Rule, Adrien Bailon, Kevin Hart, Nick Cannon, Boris Kodjoe, Duane Martin, Angel Conwell, Redaric Williams, Erica Campbell and Michel’le. “Lift Every Voice” airs Sundays at 10AM* on BET Networks.

To kick off the new season of “Lift Every Voice,” Watkins takes viewers into the life of Arsenio Hall in a special 1 hour premiere episode. The actor, comedian and late-night talk show host recently returned to television with an all-new “Arsenio Hall Show.” Watkins chats with Arsenio to find out what he’s been doing, discuss faith and family and learn what led him back to late-night. “Lift Every Voice” with Derek “Fonzworth Bentley” Watkins and special guest Arsenio Hall premieres Sunday, January 26th at 10AM on BET Networks.

For more information, visit Lift Every Voice . Join the conversation on Twitter follow; @BETGospel for all updates & special surprises

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*All times EST

Derek “Fonzworth Bentley” Watkins Bio
Fonzworth Bentley, the name itself invokes the very essence of coolness and elegance, and these two qualities are precisely what set him above the rest. Named by GQ magazine as the First Gentleman of Hip Hop, Fonzworth Bentley, aka Derek Watkins, has a sense of style and impeccable manners which have earned him a reputation as a man of class and excellence as an artist, an expert in fashion, and as a pop culture figure. As producer and host of the hit MTV show, From Gs to Gents, and author of his New York Times best-selling book Advance your Swagger: How to use Manners, Confidence and Style to Get Ahead, Bentley has achieved worldwide acclaim.

Morehouse College alum, Bentley has enjoyed acting roles in the films Honey, Fat Albert and appears in the highly anticipated Think Like A Man Too. He has been a guest on talk shows Jimmy Kimmel Live, Conan O’Brien, Wendy Williams, Chelsea Handler, The Today Show, and The Late Show with David Letterman. He has also been a presenter at the MTV Music Awards, the BET Awards and Nickelodeon’s Kids Choice Awards. Bentley has played the violin since age 2 and his debut live performance as a solo artist was at Radio City Music Hall for VH1 Fashion Rocks. At the request of Will.i.am, Bentley offered his musical talent to support Barack Obama’s presidential campaign and is featured, playing the violin in the ground breaking Yes We Can video and served as a surrogate for the President in both the 2008 and 2012 campaigns. With writing credits on Kanye West’s LP ‘Yeezus,’ Bentley continues to utilize his talents to influence culture.
This multifaceted entrepreneur is developing projects for film/television and stage that will reflect his core values and make his grandmother smile. Bentley and his wife Faune Chambers Watkins welcomed their first child Zoie Alecia Watkins in July 2013.

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About BET Networks
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks – BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.