Jenny McCarthy Tapped to Host NBC's 'Love in the Wild'

Jenny McCarthy is getting back into the dating game.

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The one-time Singled Out star has been tapped to host NBC's adventure dating series, Love in the Wild. It marks McCarthy's first foray into the relationship genre since her turn on the popular mid-1990’s MTV series, and continues an NBC push to add clutter-busting star power from Christina Aguilera (The Voice) to Howard Stern (America's Got Talent) to Jessica Simpson (Fashion Star) to its shows.

“It’s a huge advantage to have the versatile Jenny McCarthy return to host an alternative series on our network in a genre that she first helped to make popular on television,” said NBC Entertainment's alternative and late night programming president Paul Telegdy.

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He continued, “She brings a measure of unpredictability to the show’s unique format and we are thrilled to feature her charisma, enthusiasm and magnetism in this adventure series.”

The Endemol USA produced series will begin shooting in the Dominican Republic later this month, with McCarthy hosting contestants through rigorous challenges in a quest to find love. The show’s first season run averaged 5.5 million total viewers and a 1.8 rating among the coveted 18 to 49 demo last summer, enough to secure a second season pick-up in October.

“Everyone knows I’ve looked just about everywhere except the jungle for love,” quipped McCarthy, adding: “I wanted to apply as a contestant and ended up with a job.”

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The news comes mere hours after The Hollywood Reporter exclusively reported that McCarthy is prepping a talk show for VH1. The eponymous series, which is slated to premiere later this year, will feature McCarthy’s take on pop culture as well as guest panelists and celebrity interviews.

Earlier this year, the actress, comedian and best-selling author re-joined hosts Ryan Seacrest and Dick Clark on ABC’s New Year’s Eve special, a format in which McCarthy reminded audiences of both her charm and her irreverence. Sinner: Confessions of a Recovering Catholic, a follow up to her New York Times best-selling book Love, Lust and Faking It: The Naked Truth About Sex, Lies, and True Romance, will be published this fall.

McCarthy, who recently reprised her role on Two and a Half Men, is repped by WME, Untitled Entertainment and Bloom Hergott.

Email: Lacey.Rose@THR.com; Twitter: @LaceyVRose