Roma Downey to Host TLC's New Faith-Based Show 'Answered Prayers' (Trailer video)

By Leah Marieann Klett
Roma Downey
Roma Downey Getty Images

Hollywood power couple Roma Downey and Mark Burnett are making a new faith-based show for TLC that examines "modern-day miracles" and is designed to "strengthen" viewer's "spiritual connection with God".

The six-part series, called "Answered Prayers", is set to premiere at 10 p.m. on July 26, Variety reports. The show's press release explains that it "follows the remarkable stories of people in life-threatening situations who have experienced moments so inexplicable, so incredible that they can only be described as divine intervention."

Some of the amazing stories featured in the upcoming show include that of a young boy buried for hours under 11 feet of sand, a pastor who was stabbed 37 times, a family who survived a devastating tornado, and a family that survived their car plunging upside down into an icy river bank.

"The episodes focus on how each person's unwavering faith and trust in the power of prayer transformed potentially heartbreaking situations into stories of true inspiration," Variety notes.

Adds TLC's press release, "With authenticity, insight, compassion and heart, the astounding stories featured on "Answered Prayers" will leave even the most skeptical viewer considering if a divine force was at work."

"Answered Prayers" is the latest production for Burnett and Downey, who have found major success with the faith-based shows "The Bible", "Son of God," "AD: the Bible Continues," and "Touched by an Angel."

Last year, the Emmy-nominated "Bible" miniseries garnered roughly 13.1 million viewers and "A.D.", the show's follow-up series, premiered to an audience of 9.7 million.

Burnett is also behind the massively successful, family-oriented shows "Survivor," "The Voice," and "The Apprentice."

"Answered Prayers" is produced for TLC by Downey's LightWorkers Media, a division of United Artists Media Group (a newly formed joint venture among MGM, Mark Burnett, Roma Downey and Hearst Entertainment). Executive producers for LightWorkers Media are Downey, Mark Burnett and Tom Shelly. Wendy Hinton is co-executive producer.

"When Mark and I created LightWorkers Media, our mission was to bring faith and family entertainment to a large audience," said Downey.

According to Downey, they don't plan to stop spreading the gospel through their work anytime soon. "I think that we're seeing the desire for [faith-based entertainment] is back," Downey said, "I think ['The Bible's' success] shows that people are interested in these themes and they are hungry for product that inspires."

You can watch the trailer for the heartwarming new series here.