July 14, 2026 — E!, the go-to destination for high-quality pop culture and entertainment news, today announced the premiere date for its new, original competition show Cocktail Wars. Hosted by Lance Bass and Joey Fatone, the ten-episode mixology series will premiere on Tuesday, August 18 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT with two back-to-back episodes on E!.

This season, Lance Bass and Joey Fatone are joined by expert mixologist Melissa Brooke and an all-star lineup of celebrity guest judges, including Emmy® winning anchor and author Rachel Maddow (MS NOW’s The Rachel Maddow Show), Golden Globe® nominee Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls, Reminders of Him), Emmy® winner Seth Green (Robot Chicken, Family Guy), reality TV icons Ramona Singer and Sonja Morgan (E!’s The Golden Life), Melissa Gorga (The Real Housewives of New Jersey), Adam Scherr also known as WWE Icon Braun Strowman (USA Network’s Everything on the Menu), actress and recording artist Peppermint (Survival of the Thickest, Head Over Heels), actor and singer Nathan Lee Graham (Theater Camp, Zoolander), comedian and actor Devon Walker (Saturday Night Live); and Live from E! Host Justin Sylvester.

In a series of themed challenges, Cocktail Wars pits America’s buzziest mixologists against each other in a lively, high-stakes competition with $10,000 on the line in every episode. Each installment showcases a fast, fiery battle of skill, creativity, humor, and flair. From playful flavor combinations to eye-catching technique, the focus is on having a good time, taking risks, and serving up drinks with personality. Each shake, stir, and splash could be the winning touch or the one that sends them home. It’s a cocktail competition where the vibes are high, the drinks are strong, and the bragging rights are everything.

Cocktail Wars is executive produced by Texas Crew Productions, Innovative Ideas Productions, and R&D Media. David Karabinas, Rick Cikowski, Chip Rives, James Macnab and Brad Bernstein are executive producers for Texas Crew; Jonathan Bonchick and David Silverman are executive producers for Innovative Idea; Russ McCarroll is showrunner and executive producer for R&D.

Cocktail Wars showcases talent from across the Versant portfolio and is part of the company’s continued investment in the network’s original programming, premium content, and audience engagement across platforms. E!, continues to be the go-to destination for live events, award shows and entertainment coverage. The network recently announced that People’s Choice Awards will return to the network, along with a renewal of Critics Choice Awards, continued Live from E! red carpet coverage and the upcoming premiere of the highly anticipated docuseries The Golden Life.

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Press Contacts:

Hannah Fink / hannah.fink@versantmedia.com

Hannah Reeves / hannah.reeves@versantmedia.com