Tyler Perry - OWN Sign Tyler Perry Up For Exclusive Producer Deal

Tyler Perry, the producer behind sitcoms like House Of Payne is to soon start to produce shows exclusively for Oprah Winfrey's OWN network, according to The New York Times. It's been well documented that OWN has been struggling for viewers, and Winfrey's retirement from the talk show game was as much down to the legendary chat host wanting to focus all her efforts on reviving her ailing project as it was the fact she'd achieved all she needed to within its sphere.

The network revealed that it hoped to be running two Perry-scripted shows by the middle of next year, with a statement from Winfrey reading: "I have been looking forward to the day when we would be in the position to enter the world of scripted television. That day has come. We are all energized by the opportunity to collaborate with Tyler who has a proven track record for producing highly successful cable series. He has an incredible ability to illuminate life stories and characters in his unique voice and inspires and encourages people all over the world."

The network didn't reveal how much money they'd given Perry, though it's believed that it'll take up a considerable amount of their budget given that they have signed him exclusively. In his own statement, Perry said "It's a dream realized to partner with Oprah and bring scripted programming to OWN. She has accomplished so much with the network and I'm excited to work with her to be a part of its continued growth."