Kiss fans, brace yourselves: The A&E Network has just cancelled Gene Simmons’ reality show in the States. Shocking news, I’m sure you’ll agree, not least because it underscores the fact that the programme’s been on air now for seven whole years…


In a statement made to The Hollywood Reporter, A&E said:”For seven great seasons, Gene, Shannon, Nick and Sophie have been part of the A&E family, and we could not be more proud of the unparalleled run of Gene Simmons Family Jewels,

“On behalf of everyone at A&E, we’d like to thank the production team at Thinkfactory Media, Gene and his amazing family for their partnership, collaboration and for opening up their lives, warts-and-all, to us throughout the years.”

Taking its lead from fellow headbanger Ozzy Osbourne’s once-lauded MTV series, the programme, which aired on Bio in the UK, involved little more than Gene inviting the cameras in to capture the mundanities of everyday life in the Simmons’ household. And while it was popular with viewers, Gene Simmons Family Jewels was a little more sinffily received by critics. Comparing Gene’s mellow screen persona with Ozzy’s dazed and confused Osbournes self, The New York Times lamented: “Mr. Simmons, alas, does not dodder.”

The Kiss bassist also issued a statement alongside A&E’s, which said: “With Kiss on tour and with my other business commitments, we have decided to draw the final curtain on our show. It has been a wonderful, life-altering experience for our family, and after seven successful seasons, we feel it’s time to move on.”

And make no mistake, move on Gene will, as Kiss’s new album Monster comes out in October, and the band are scheduled to be touring all over America from now until well into the Autumn.


Seeing as we’ve been talking about Gene, let’s end on a song…