Smallscreen News

The year of Bret Michaels, VH1 show adds to his TV ducats

By April MacIntyre May 17, 2010, 20:22 GMT

Bret Michaels lead singer of Poison performs at the Verizon Wireless Music Center in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, 21 August, 2007. Rocker Bret Michaels was released from hospital on 04 May 2010 some two weeks after he was rushed to intensive care after suffering a brain hemorrhage, his doctor said. EPA/STEVE C. MITCHELL

Smallscreen's breakout star for 2010 is hands down rocker Bret Michaels, whose working class roots and mannered affable charm has sold America that he is the one to beat for NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice" and has more depth than the rocker trolling for love on "Rock of Love."

Now his VH1 home has given him a more highbrow reality vehicle to further build the Michaels' empire; but if you ask him, he's just lucky to be alive and here to enjoy the late in life career boost.

A potentially fatal brain hemorrhage nearly took him out. But luck is on his side and he is now the star of a May 31 VH1 documentary series, "Bret Michaels: Life As I Know It," which a promises will give viewers "an insider's look at Bret's home life when he isn't touring, shooting, partying and rocking out.

This is the B side of wild boy rocker Bret, who comes home to his two real babes, daughters Raine and Jorja, who affectionately refer to him as 'Poppa Rocka.' "

According to VH1, the full 10-episode run of the half-hour show has been pushed to the fall, with no confirmed air date available at press time because of his health crisis this past April 2010.

"After Bret's recent appendectomy and life-threatening brain hemorrhage, we're so happy that he is on the road to recovery and coming back to VH1," said Jeff Olde, executive vice president of original programming and production at the network.

"Bret is family to us and has always been a huge hit on the network, headlining several series and specials that have garnered record-breaking ratings and made a strong connection with our audience. We have temporarily halted production on the series with Bret's health as our primary concern. Production will resume when it is cleared by his doctors. ... We'd like to celebrate Bret's recovery with this sneak peak special featuring the next chapter in Bret's story on VH1. It's a never-before-seen look into Bret's family life — the real center of his world from which he draws his unsinkable strength."

Michaels visits "The Oprah Winfrey Show" thgis week. He is also expected to appear on the season finale of "The Celebrity Apprentice" on Sunday and to play his first concert since the incident on May 26.

A new album "Custom Built" is due out on June 8. A duet with Miley Cyrus is featured on "Nothing to Lose."