‘Road to the Bee’ Coming to ION + Bounce | In Advance of ‘Scripps National Spelling Bee’

“Road to the Bee” is a new, exclusive, one-hour original special, documenting what it is like to prepare for and compete in the iconic Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Premiering Thursday, May 26th on ION and Bounce at 8 p.m. ET

It comes just days before the 2022 Bee begins. Accomplished actor, director, educator and lifelong children’s literacy advocate LeVar Burton, host of the 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee, narrates “Road to the Bee.”

For the first time in Bee history, the competition will air on ION and Bounce, which are part of Scripps’ portfolio of free, over-the-air national networks. The semifinals will air, live-to-tape, on ION and Bounce from 8-10 p.m. ET on Wednesday, June 1st. (The semifinals are scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.) The finals will air live on ION and Bounce from 8-10 p.m. ET on Thursday, June 2nd.

“Road to the Bee” goes behind the scenes with officials and 10 of this year’s regional competitors for a rare, inside look at the time, effort and, yes, practice, which goes into preparing for the nearly 100-year-old academic competition. It includes perspectives from those who support spellers, including family and members of the community. The special also includes a look at the event’s rich history, a visit with 2021 champion Zaila Avant-garde and the story behind the Bee‘s infamous bell.

“Road to the Bee” will have encore airings on Newsy on May 29th, June 3rd and June 5th.

The Bee is the nation’s longest-running educational competition, having launched in 1925, and aired on ESPN platforms since 1994. The E.W. Scripps Company is the longtime steward of the competition and owns ION and Bounce. ION is the #5 most-watched entertainment network in primetime, and Bounce is the #2 most-watched network targeted to African Americans across broadcast and cable TV.