TV One to Present Award-Winning Drama Series EMPIRE, Beg. Tonight

Following TV One's record-breaking Memorial Day Weekend Marathon (May 28-30), which reached 7 Million Unique Viewers 2+, television's blockbuster hit, award-winning and most nominated series EMPIRE begins its regular time slot tonight, Thursday, June 9. Fans and newcomers of the series can get their EMPIRE FIX of Seasons 1 & 2 with three back-to-back episodes every Thursday night from 8-11 p.m. ET (encore 11 p.m. - 2 a.m. ET) all summer long.

Set within a world of music, glamour, danger and power, EMPIRE is about a family dynasty that follows the head of a music EMPIRE whose three sons and ex-wife all battle for his throne. After music mogul Lucious Lyon (Howard) is diagnosed with a potentially fatal disease, he must choose which of his three sons will succeed him at the legendary EMPIRE Entertainment. The game changes when his ex-wife Cookie (Henson) returns from prison, where she's been for almost two decades. Brash and fearless, she sees herself as the sacrificial lamb who built an EMPIRE with Lucious and then took the fall for running the drugs that financed Lucious' early career. As the Lyons slug it out, a battle begins that will either cause the family's destruction or redemption.

With 35 nominations, EMPIRE is the most-nominated television series this season and recently named a Top 10 Television Program of the Year by the American Film Institute. It was the only broadcast series to earn a Golden Globe Award nomination this year in the category of Best Television Series - Drama. Additionally, Taraji P. Henson won the Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama. The series also earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media.

EMPIRE stars Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson, Jussie Smollett, Bryshere "Yazz" Gray, Trai Byers, Grace Gealey, Kaitlin Doubleday, Gabourey Sidibe, Ta'Rhonda Jones and Serayah McNeill. In addition to the regular cast, the series has featured guest appearances by a wide range of talented performers, including Chris Rock, Alicia Keys, Marisa Tomei, Naomi Campbell, Ludacris, Adam Rodriguez, Vivica A. Fox, Rosie O' Donnell and Andre Royo.

From Imagine Television in association with 20th Century FOX Television, the series was created by Academy Award nominee Lee Daniels and Emmy Award winner Danny Strong, and is executive produced by Daniels, Strong, Academy Award and Emmy Award-winning producer Brian Grazer, Ilene Chaiken, Francie Calfo and Sanaa Hamri. "Like" EMPIRE on Facebook at facebook.com/EmpireFOX. Follow the series on Twitter @EmpireFOX and join the discussion using #Empire. See photos and videos on Instagram by following @EmpireFOX.

For more information about EMPIRE on TV One, visit the network's companion website at www.tvone.tv. TV One viewers can also join the conversation by connecting via social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (@tvonetv) using the hash tag #EmpireOnTVONE.