(Black PR Wire) CINCINNATI – “Road to the Bee” – a new, exclusive, one-hour original special documenting what it is like to prepare for and compete in the iconic Scripps National Spelling Bee – will premiere at 8 p.m. ET Thursday, May 26 on ION and Bounce. 

It comes just days before the 2022 Bee begins. An accomplished actor, director, educator, and lifelong children’s literacy advocate LeVar Burton, host of the 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee, narrates “Road to the Bee.”

For the first time in Bee's history, the competition will air on ION and Bounce, which are part of Scripps’ portfolio of free, over-the-air national networks. The semifinals will air live-to-tape on ION and Bounce from 8-10 p.m. ET on Wednesday, June 1. (The semifinals are scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.) The finals will air live on ION and Bounce from 8-10 p.m. ET on Thursday, June 2. 

“Road to the Bee” goes behind the scenes with officials and 10 of this year’s regional competitors for a rare, inside look at the time, effort, and, yes, a practice that goes into preparing for the nearly 100-year-old academic competition. It includes perspectives from those who support spellers, including family and members of the community. The special also includes a look at the event’s rich history, a visit with 2021 champion Zaila Avant-garde and the story behind the Bee’s infamous bell.

“Road to the Bee” will have encore airings on Newsy on May 29, June 3, and June 5; visit Newsy.com for times.

The Bee is the nation’s longest-running educational competition, having launched in 1925, and aired on ESPN platforms since 1994. The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP) is the longtime steward of the competition and owns ION and Bounce. ION is the No. 5 most-watched entertainment network in primetime, and Bounce is the No. 2 most-watched network targeted to African Americans across broadcast and cable TV.

Visit spellingbee.com for more details on how to watch “Road to the Bee,” the full broadcast and streaming schedules for the 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee.