AceShowbiz -

The rumor is true; Alec Baldwin gets his own talk show on MSNBC. The former "30 Rock" star has finalized a deal to host weekly nighttime talk show, "Up Late With Alec Baldwin", which will air Friday nights at 10 P.M. ET starting in October. Replacing prison reality show "Lock Up" which will be pushed back an hour, the new program covers current events and culture.

"I've been talking with Alec for a while and can't wait to bring his personality and eclectic interests to MSNBC," the cable channel's president Phil Griffin says in a statement. "He's got such passion for ideas and what's going on in the world. He's going to be a great addition to our lineup."

Baldwin adds, "After two seasons of my WNYC podcast, I've developed a fondness for hosting a show that involved talking with smart, talented and engaging people in every imaginable field. I'm grateful to MSNBC for helping me bring a similar show to television."

The 55-year-old actor has shown his hosting skill on podcast "Here's the Thing" for the public radio station WNYC and has interviewed celebrities like David Letterman, Chris Rock and Lena Dunham, and Republican political strategist Ed Rollins. He's also a 16-time host of "Saturday Night Live".