Nellie Andreeva

ABC Family has picked up to series half-hour pilot Baby Daddy, created by Dan Berendsen, which the network says is its highest-testing comedy pilot in history. Additionally, ABC Family is re-entering the reality space with new series Beverly Hills Nannies. This is the network’s first unscripted series in 4 years, since America’s Prom Queen, which aired in Spring 2008. ABC Family also has renewed veteran drama The Secret Life of the American Teenager, whose star Shailene Woodley is hot off her starring role in The Descendants, for a fifth season to become the longest-running series ever on ABC Family, hitting the 100-episode mark. In other ABC Family news, Tori Spelling and Tia Mowry have been tapped to star in The Mistle-Tones, the holiday movie which will anchor the network’s next ‘25 Days of Christmas’ event. “This Summer, we’re excited to continue to expand our content across key genres adding another season to our groundbreaking drama, Secret Life, wonderful comedy and a return to reality programming as we continue to innovate with our ABC Family brand,” said ABC Family president Michael Riley. Here are descriptions of ABC Family’s new series and movie:

Baby Daddy, the network’s highest testing comedy pilot ever, stars Chelsea Kane (Dancing with the Stars), Tahj Mowry (The Game) and Derek Theler (90210). From executive producer Dan Berendsen, creator The Nine Lives of Chloe King, the half-hour series is about a young man who becomes a surprise dad to a baby girl when she’s left on his doorstep by an ex-girlfriend. He decides to raise the baby with the help of his mother, his brother Danny (Theler), his best buddy Tucker (Mowry) and his close female friend, Riley (Kane), who is harboring a secret crush on him. Baby Daddy, a multi-camera comedy, will begin production in Spring and will shoot in front of a live audience in Los Angeles.

Beverly Hills Nannies is a docuseries following the lives of a group of nannies working for families in the most exclusive zip code in the country. Evolution Media, the production company known for The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and The Real Housewives of Orange County will produce the series.  The series will go into production in Spring.

Tori Spelling (Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood) and Tia Mowry (The Game) have been tapped to star in the new original Christmas movie The Mistle-Tones which will begin principal photography next month in Salt Lake City, Utah.  In The Mistle-Tones, Holly (Tia Mowry), blessed with an amazing singing voice, is all set to audition for the newly vacated spot in a legendary local Christmas group which was founded by her late mother years ago. Shocked and upset when the slot goes to the barely talented best friend of the group’s leader, Marci (Tori Spelling), Holly sets out to create her own musical group, The Mistle-Tones. After challenging their rivals to a sing-off on Christmas Eve, Holly finds herself on a journey to the real meaning of Christmas–with some new friends and a new love thrown in for good measure…  The Mistle-Tones is executive produced by Maggie Malina (Single Ladies), from a script by Jed Elinoff & Scott Thomas (My Super Psycho Sweet 16), and directed by Paul Hoen (Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam).

TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.