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Tamera Mowry-Housley pregnant with first child

LOS ANGELES, April 26 (UPI) -- U.S. actress and TV personality Tamera Mowry-Housley has confirmed she is pregnant and her first child is to be born in early November.

The former "Sister Sister" star married FOX News correspondent Adam Housley last May.

"Adam and I are excited about having a baby and the blessing that he or she will bring to our lives and to our family and friends," Mowry-Housley, 33, told People.com Thursday. "We can't wait to meet this little miracle!"

The second season of "Tia & Tamera," her reality show with her twin sister, is to premiere June 11 on the Style Network.

Harris, Vergara back for 'Smurfs 2'

CULVER CITY, Calif., April 26 (UPI) -- Hollywood stars Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays, Sofia Vergara and Hank Azaria have returned for the sequel to "The Smurfs," Sony Pictures Animation announced.

The 2011 family flick earned more than $560 million at the worldwide box office.

Production has begun on Columbia Pictures' and Sony Pictures Animation's live-action/computer animated hybrid 3D comedy "The Smurfs 2," which is set in Europe.

While Harris, Vergara, Mays and Azaria will reprise their live-action roles, Katy Perry, Jonathan Winters, Alan Cumming, Fred Armisen, George Lopez, John Oliver and Anton Yelchin will once again lend their voices to the wee blue title characters.

Irish actor Brendan Gleeson joins the cast as the father of Harris' character, and Christina Ricci and J.B. Smoove will voice the new "Smurf-like naughty characters, Vexy and Hackus, respectively," a synopsis said.

"The Smurfs 2" is scheduled to be released in U.S. theaters July 31, 2013.

"We've brought the entire live-action and voice cast into the sequel. It's a real thrill to 'get the Smurf village back together' for another adventure. The same holds true for the crew. We are so deep in talent we know a fine film will result. It's like visiting with old friends -- just some slightly smaller than others," producer Jordan Kerner said in a statement Thursday.

Bowen, Burrell to host Billboard Awards

LOS ANGELES, April 26 (UPI) -- "Modern Family" co-stars Julie Bowen and Ty Burrell are to serve as hosts of the 2012 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas, ABC said Wednesday.

The network will air the prize presentation, which is to take place May 20 in the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

"We are thrilled to have television's favorite Emmy Award-winning couple as our hosts for this year's Billboard Music Awards," Richard D. Beckman, chief executive officer of Prometheus Global Media and one of the awards show's producers, said in a statement. "Ty and Julie have captured the hearts of America with their on-screen chemistry and humor -- and we look forward to having them bring that magic to the Billboard Music Awards."

Encore to air 'Thorne' TV movies

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., April 26 (UPI) -- U.S. cable network Encore says it plans to air small-screen adaptations of Mark Billingham's best-selling novels "Sleepyhead" and "Scaredy Cat" in June.

The two-part crime drama production -- "Thorne: Sleepyhead" and "Thorne: Scaredy Cat" -- will premiere June 12 and 13.

The TV movies star British actor David Morrissey as Detective Inspector Tom Thorne, "who possesses a gritty sensibility and an unhinged desire to discover killers," a synopsis said.

"'Thorne' will take viewers along a gripping, suspenseful journey with the complex and quirky Detective Tom Thorne," Stephan Shelanski, executive vice president of programming for Starz Entertainment, said in a statement Wednesday.

"The series is an edgy and engrossing addition to the collection of favorite genres Encore offers viewers."

Natascha McElhone, Aidan Gillen, Eddie Marsan and Sandra Oh also appear in the telepictures.