An upcoming reality series about West Hollywood gay bar The Abbey will include the Orlando shooting and potential threats to the Los Angeles Gay Pride Parade in its storyline, TheWrap has learned.
E!’s “The Abbey Diaries” filmed for nearly eight hours on Sunday, an individual close to production told TheWrap, with members of the LGBT community celebrating pride amidst news of the Florida tragedy — and that a heavily-armed suspect planning on attending the LA event had been arrested.
Both incidents will be highlighted in the show’s plot, a second insider said. A network spokesperson confirmed their presence but would not elaborate further.
Physical production is not set to begin for another month, the first individual added. The pick-up shoot was scheduled prior to the tragedy at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub, where 49 were killed and 53 were injured. Producers also rolled cameras at The Abbey’s recent 25th anniversary celebration.
The L.A. Pride suspect, James Wesley Howell, was originally thought to be planning an attack on the annual parade when he was found with three assault rifles, ammunition and a bucket of chemicals used to make explosives. The police later recanted their statements about Howell’s attack plans, saying he was only going to attend the festivities.
Howell was formally charged on Tuesday by the Los Angeles District Attorney, with three felony counts and one misdemeanor count of unlawful possession of an assault weapon and an explosive device.
“The Abbey Diaries” is produced by Banijay Studios North America with David Goldberg, Caroline Baumgard. Ray Giuliani and Cooley are serving as executive producers.
The series will also track staffers as they “wrangle VIP guests and celebrities while dealing with relationship drama, diverse sexuality and the pursuit of their individual Hollywood dreams, all set in an exciting backdrop that is quintessentially Los Angeles.”