NEW YORK – January 8, 2009 – Professional broadcast hosts Hannah Simone and Joel Gourdin have signed on to co-host SCI FI Channel's new elimination-style reality competition series WCG Ultimate Gamer (formerly announced as 'Gamequest'), from Granada America, World Cyber Games (WCG) and Samsung Electronics, it was announced today by Mark Stern, Executive Vice President, Original Programming for SCI FI & Co-Head Original Content, Universal Cable Productions. WCG Ultimate Gamer consists of eight 1-hour episodes and is set to premiere in March 2009.

Born in London and raised in Saudi Arabia, Cyprus, India, and Canada, Hannah Simone has spent the last two years as a VJ for MuchMusic in Canada. She has interviewed hundreds of artists and covered major events including the MuchMusic Video Awards, Live Earth, and the national elections. She previously worked as a human rights and refugees officer for the United Nations, which prepared her to spearhead social-issues specials like MuchTalks: AIDS and MuchTalks: Climate Change at the network. Hannah was also a radio personality and associate news director for a Toronto radio station and hosted season one of Canada's HGTV series Space for Living.

An accomplished gamer himself, Joel Gourdin is best known for his work as a correspondent on G4's Attack of the Show and X-Play. He also has been seen on the TV Guide Network's TV Guide Countdown to the Grammy Awards, Academy Awards, and Emmy Awards this past season.

This exciting new series features a diverse group of contestants who embark on an intense and emotional journey, all hoping to win prizes that include $100,000 cash and the ultimate Samsung electronics package complete with the company's most advanced technology products. Additionally, the winner will have the privilege of traveling worldwide as a VIP representative of the WCG (World Cyber Games), which each year involves over 1.5 million players competing in events and online tournaments across more than 80 countries. As the 12 contestants share a loft in downtown Los Angeles, they will be tested in real-life challenges inspired by best-selling game titles, compete in the video games themselves, and ultimately must avoid elimination in head-to-head battle in an arena filled with hundreds of spectators. Ultimately, the player who is versatile and strategic enough to best their opponents in both the real-life and virtual gaming worlds will emerge as the ultimate gamer.

WCG Ultimate Gamer is a format created by Michael Agbabian and Dwight D. Smith (Phenomenon, Gameshow Marathon and Last Comic Standing) who also serve as executive producers.

SCI FI Channel is a television network where "what if" is what's on. SCI FI fuels the imagination of viewers with original series and events, blockbuster movies and classic science fiction and fantasy programming, as well as a dynamic Web site (www.scifi.com) and magazine. Launched in 1992, and currently in 93 million homes, SCI FI Channel is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies.

World Cyber Games (WCG) is the global leader in video game tournaments and video game television. Each year over 1.5 million players compete in WCG events and online tournaments across more than 80 countries. The annual WCG Grand Final is often dubbed the "Olympics of Video Gaming" by major media outlets as it showcases competitions between national teams and crowns world champions in the top PC, console and mobile video games. The first WCG Grand Final took place in Seoul, Korea in 2000. The WCG 2008 Grand Final took place in Cologne, Germany. The WCG 2009 Grand Final will be hosted by the city of Chengdu, China. WCG event coverage is presented live on television networks around the world, on WCG.com and via numerous partner outlets.

Granada America is one of the largest international producers for the US market and a major force in acquiring, developing and producing scripted and non-scripted programming for US networks. Since launching in 2004, Granada America has become a leading producer of non-scripted and scripted programming in the US producing a slate of successful formats with major US networks, including Hell's Kitchen and Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares for Fox, Celebrity Fit Club for VH1, Phenomenon and Hit Me Baby One More Time for NBC, Sensing Murder for Discovery as well as First 48 and the S.W.A.T series for A&E. Granada is a world leader in television production and distribution, with international production centers in the UK, Germany and Australia as well as America and programs distributed to over 155 territories worldwide. Our US hit TV show, Nanny 911, has been sold to more than 60 countries.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2007 consolidated sales of US$103.4 billion. Employing approximately 150,000 people in 134 offices in 62 countries, the company consists of four main business units: Digital Media Business, LCD Business, Semiconductor Business, and Telecommunication Business. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (SEA), based in Ridgefield Park, NJ, is a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (SEC). SEA markets a broad range of award-winning consumer electronics, information systems, and home appliance products, as well as oversees all of Samsung's North American operations including Samsung Telecommunications America, LP, Samsung Semiconductor Inc., Samsung Electronics Canada, Inc. and Samsung Electronics Mexico, Inc. As a result of its commitment to innovation and unique design, SEA was ranked #6 in the Electronics Industry segment in Fortune Magazine's "Most Admired Companies 2008," and named as one of Fast Company's "Fast 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2008." Among popular Business Week rankings, SEC ranked #26 in the publication's "Most Innovative Companies of 2008" and #21 in the "100 Best Global Brands" for 2007. SEC is also a top patent holder, ranking second overall in the U.S. in 2007. Please visit www.samsung.com or call 1(800) SAMSUNG for more information.

(Photo courtesy of Sci Fi)