The show plans to explore much of the same ground the Times uncovered in its first three-part series on the Church published in June, The Truth Rundown, outlining tales of violence allegedly perpetrated against high-ranking church officials by leader David Miscavige.

According to  a spokeswoman for the show, Nightline on Thursday will feature interviews with at least some of the sources featured in the Times' reporting -- former high-ranking Church officials coming forward to publicly reveal controversial stories about Scientology leadership in a way never seen before. The show also features a recently-recorded interview with church spokesman Tommy Davis.

Friday's story is expected to focus on the celebrity angle of Scientology -- the church has aggressively courted celebrities such as Tom Cruise and John Travolta for decades -- showing how famous names are treated inside the group and examining how Miscavige may be influencing Cruise's behavior, according to the spokeswoman.

Après s'être attardé à la violence du chef de la scientologie, David Miscavige, le reporter et présentateur Martin Bashir expose les liens entre Hollywood et la scientologie, ainsi que ses croyances controversées.

Bashir effectue un excellent travail: calme, posé, il amène des questions bien senties au bon moment, et déculotte à plusieurs reprises le porte-parole de la secte Tommy Davis. Davis devient si fâché que ... oh, et on vous garde la surprise: regardez l'entrevue pour le savoir. ;-)

LESS than an hour before a damaging piece on the Church of Scientology was set to air on ABC's "Nightline," the controversial faith's spokesman, Tommy Davis, showed up unannounced at the studio and tried to get the segment spiked.

Last week, ABC ran a two-part investigation into Scientology, focusing on allegedly violent behavior by leader David Miscavige, as well as the involvement in the church of such celebrities as Tom Cruise, John Travolta and Will Smith.

In a taped interview for the first installment that was to run Thursday night, Martin Bashir asked Davis to comment on the church's bizarre founding mythology, which involves an intergalactic god named Xenu who brought his people to Earth 75 million years ago and stuffed them in a volcano.

After telling Bashir he wouldn't discuss "disgusting perversions" of the religion, Davis, with the camera still rolling, removed his microphone and stormed off the set. The dust-up was included in the piece.

But just 45 minutes before the segment was to air on Thursday, Davis showed up at ABC headquarters on West 67th Street and asked to speak to Bashir and the show's executive producer about the interview.

"He demanded to a security guard that he be let in," a network insider told Page Six. "The guard called 'Nightline' staffers down to come deal with him. He was told as politely as possible that the piece was cut and in the can and could not be changed and that Martin would be unable to see him. He was then asked to leave." Adds our source, "He was not happy."

On Sunday, it was reported that Oscar-winning "Crash" director Paul Haggis quit the church in a strongly worded letter to Davis over Scientology's support of the anti-gay marriage bill Proposition 8 in California.