Legendary singer and songwriter Barry Manilow is set to star in a Christmas special at NBC, Variety has learned exclusively.
Titled “Barry Manilow’s A Very Barry Christmas,” the one-hour special will air on NBC Dec. 11 at 10 pm ET/PT and will be available to stream the next day on Peacock. It will be filmed at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino where he performs his hit show, “Manilow: Las Vegas – The Hits Come Home!”
“I love doing our Christmas show!” Manilow said. “We get to sing my pop hits and my favorite Christmas songs. It’s a feel-good hour full of music.”
Manilow, along with his 24-piece band, will play some of his biggest hits including “Copacabana,” “Mandy,” “I Write the Songs,” and “Looks Like We Made It,” along with a lineup of several holiday favorites.
“Barry’s legacy and longevity is truly something to behold,” said Jen Neal, executive vice president of live events and specials for NBCUniversal Media Group. “His repertoire of songs are beloved by generations and we can’t wait to celebrate the holidays with one of America’s most iconic musical legends.”
Manilow’s career spans seven decades, during which time he has become one of the highest-selling musical artists all of time. He has sold more than 85 million albums worldwide and released 13 number one hits. He recently performed his 637th show at the Westgate, beating Elvis Presley’s record for the most shows on the same stage. He recently completed a sold-out run at Radio City Music Hall and his second musical, Harmony, opens on Broadway in November.
“Barry Manilow’s A Very Barry Christmas” is executive produced by Manilow, Garry Kief and Rob Kief for Stiletto Entertainment and Paul Morphos of PJM Productions. The special is directed by Matt Askew.