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TV,eh? What's up in Canadian television
Industry News

Sportsnet and APTN partner to broadcast more NHL games in Plains Cree

From a media release:

Following the historic first NHL broadcast in Plains Cree last season in conjunction with Rogers Hometown Hockey’s visit to Enoch Cree Nation, Sportsnet and APTN are expanding their partnership to deliver more games over the next three seasons. In total, a minimum of six games per year will be broadcast on APTN in Plains Cree – full 2019-20 broadcast schedule below.

Sportsnet will continue to deliver the broadcast production, which will feature exclusive Cree-language commentary and analysis from APTN broadcasters for fans across the country. Broadcaster Clarence Iron will have the play-by-play call for APTN, while Juno Award-winning musician Earl Wood will host the studio show alongside influential Cree-language promoter Jason Chamakese, with game analysis from NHL alum John Chabot.

This season’s Cree-language broadcast schedule also features a special Rogers Hometown Hockey stop as the tour visits Peguis First Nation, Man. on Sunday, March 1 where Ron MacLean and Tara Slone will host a live broadcast of the same game on Sportsnet.

In addition to an expanded commitment to delivering Cree-language NHL broadcasts to Canadians, Sportsnet also contributes to the national production of Hockey Night in Canada: Punjabi Edition on OMNI Television.

2019-20 Cree-Language NHL Broadcast Schedule from Sportsnet on APTN:

  • Sunday, January 19 – Winnipeg Jets vs. Chicago Blackhawks (6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT)
  • Sunday, February 9 – Winnipeg Jets vs. Chicago Blackhawks (6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT)
  • Sunday, February 23 – Calgary Flames vs. Detroit Red Wings (6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT)
  • Sunday, March 1 – Vancouver Canucks vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (6:30 p.m. Et / 3:30 p.m. PT)
  • Sunday, March 15 – Winnipeg Jets vs. Vancouver Canucks (7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT)
  • Sunday, March 29 – Anaheim Ducks vs. Edmonton Oilers (7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT)
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Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Chloe Wilde takes viewers on a life-changing journey in Crave’s Healthy is Hot

From a media release:

This new year, TV personality, fitness guru, and nature lover Chloe Wilde (ETALK) takes viewers on a life-changing journey for the mind, body, and soul in the brand-new Crave Original Series HEALTHY IS HOT. From Bell Media Studios, all six episodes are available Friday, Jan. 10, only on Crave.

Developed from Wilde’s highly successful blog, podcast, and Instagram of the same name, HEALTHY IS HOT is set to inspire new resolutions, endless possibilities, and exciting opportunities for healthier and happier living as viewers settle into 2020.

The series showcases Wilde’s journey– from Vancouver Island, B.C. to Ottawa and Toronto – as she tackles fears, indulges in new foods, gives back to charity, and more. Each episode is dedicated to learning and practicing different elements that promote personal growth and make up a healthy lifestyle, while providing an open and supportive discussion about difficult subjects like the importance of mental health and the real effects of climate change. HEALTHY IS HOT is produced by Bell Media Studios. Michelle Crespi is Executive Producer, Bell Media Studios.

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Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Season 4 of Heavy Rescue: 401 returns January 7 to Discovery

From a media release:

Buckle up, Canada! Discovery gets winter-ready with the return of smash-hit, MADE®-in-Canada original series HEAVY RESCUE: 401, airing Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT beginning Jan. 7. With 14 new episodes featuring compelling extreme winter wrecks and roadside rescues on Ontario’s notorious 400-series highways – extending from Windsor in the west to the Québec border in the east – the series takes viewers on a riveting ride through tense situations in intense environments. A Top 5 series on Discovery across all seasons among the key A25-54 demo, viewers can catch Season 4 of HEAVY RESCUE: 401 everywhere Discovery content can be found.

From Great Pacific Media, the makers of Discovery’s fan-favourite series HIGHWAY THRU HELL, HEAVY RESCUE: 401 tells the stories of Ontario heavy recovery operators who fight to clear wrecks, flip trucks, and keep drivers moving. Close to half-a-million vehicles travel these highways every day, requiring government and police forces to depend on the experienced men and women of Canada’s towing industry – ready to work just inches from open lanes and speeding traffic – when disaster strikes. Production on Season 5 of HEAVY RESCUE: 401 is currently underway.

About Season 4 of HEAVY RESCUE: 401:
The all-new season catches up with new Canadian Sonny Subra (Steve’s Towing) who earned the chance to run a rotator, the pinnacle of heavy recovery machines. Now he and his wife are set to embark on the next phase of their Canadian dream, pushing Sonny to work harder and stretch himself in a whole new way.

Mitch Wright (B&G Towing) starts a small job that turns into one of his biggest challenges. Meanwhile, Kevin Richardson leaves his longtime home at Metro Towing and adjusts to life at new company.

Collin Vandenheuvel (Preferred Towing) faces days of non-stop whiteout attacks on the highways around Sarnia and London pushing him to sharpen his skills with danger lurking around every bend. Nearby, Ross Towing faces its busiest winter in years, and newly promoted Brad Prince is forced to master his new wrecker with no time for training wheels.

In the east, Andrew Vink (Herb’s Towing) has rebuilt his heavy crew, putting his faith and his rotator in the hands of 21-year-old Zach,  but it remains to be seen if Zach’s ability matches his ambition. After working for the same family for years, everything changes for veteran Eric Godard when a new company (County Towing) and a new family, take over.

HEAVY RESCUE: 401 continues to work closely with the Ontario Provincial Police and Sgt. Kerry Schmidt to execute on-the-spot accident reconstructions, managing massive pileups, and overseeing toxic spill sites; and follows the crew at the Ontario Ministry of Transportation’s massive control centre.

In the premiere episode, “We’re Jumping In” (Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT), after three decades on the highway, a major change forces Eric Godard to adapt to a whole new crew on a tough rollover. A vicious pre-winter storm pushes Sonny into urgent on-the-job training; and when a jet fuel spill shuts down the entire 401, it’s up to the Ross crew to get it back open.

Viewers can catch up on Season 3 of HEAVY RESCUE: 401 with a New Year’s Eve marathon, Tuesday, Dec. 31, beginning at 2 p.m ET on Discovery and now on the Discovery GO app.

HEAVY RESCUE: 401 is produced by Great Pacific Media (a Thunderbird Entertainment Group company) in association with Bell Media. Executive Producer is Mark Miller. Series Producer is Todd Serotiuk.

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Family Feud Canada, Featured, Mr. D

Survey says it’s time for Family Feud Canada

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The air was immediately electric as I walked into the Studio 40 at CBC headquarters in Toronto. Anyone who’s ever watched an episode of Family Feud knows exactly what the show’s about, whether it was the Richard Dawson era, the more comical years hosted by the late Ray Combs, or the current version with Steve Harvey at the helm. And Family Feud Canada—debuting Monday at 8 p.m. on CBC—doesn’t disappoint; it’s impressive right from the start. From the iconic name tags to those oh-so-familiar sights and sounds, it’s exactly how you remember it—with a Canadian spin.

“We might have a French-Canadian question, you might hear the word ‘hockey’ a bit more, you might get a poutine reference. But it’s not forced,” host Gerry Dee told us during the show’s recent media day. “We had a family from Winnipeg here and they were pumping up the Grey Cup. So there are some very proud Canadians on set because it is our version.”

And because of its Canadian-ness, expect it to be pretty darn nice. “It’s ironic, it’s called Family Feud but there’s no feuding,” laughed Dee. “They really love each other. One team feels bad to beat a team. So far, so Canadian.”

Literally. Nearly 2,000 families across the country applied and the show has received 10,000 emails from those who want to be in the studio audience. All who are surveyed are Canadian, and the questions range from Canadian to more Canadian to super-Canadian. And they’re all vying—albeit, politely—for that $10,000 prize.

Family Feud may be a game show at heart, but because of all the comedy that comes with it, it’s pretty perfect for the actor-comedian. Dee found out that Family Feud Canada was in the works about five months after Mr. D, which ran for eight seasons on the broadcaster, wrapped. “When Mr. D was done, there was nothing. Then this came along and it was perfect.”

Luckily for Dee, he didn’t have to audition as the broadcaster knew what a good thing it had with him. He joked that CBC asked five other people before turning to him but acknowledged, “I think that they probably were looking at all the great choices Canada has and I’m very lucky that they thought of me. It was a pretty cool call to get but it was never on my radar.”

But as far as Dee is concerned, he was never not going to do this. “This is right in my wheelhouse. I’m not saying I’m perfect for it but it’s a perfect fit as far as for me, it is.”

The only difference between Canada’s version and the U.S., Dee points out is, well, him. “Obviously it’s going to be very different with me as the host. Some people will like it, some won’t, and that’s a given. There always is in entertainment.

“The only thing that could be worse is me,” he continued. “That’s the only thing that could be worse. But it might not be. Not sure yet. We’ll find out.”

Family Feud Canada airs Monday to Thursday at 8 p.m. on CBC before moving to its regular timeslot of 7:30 p.m. the following week.

Image courtesy of CBC.

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Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Host and chefs announced for CBC original culinary competition Fridge Wars

From a media release:

CBC today announced Emma Hunter (Mr. D, The Beaverton) as the host of the new culinary competition series FRIDGE WARS (6×60), premiering Thursday, February 27 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) on CBC and the free CBC Gem streaming service.

An original Canadian format produced by CBC, FRIDGE WARS pits two celebrity chefs against one another with a challenge to create extraordinary meals using only the ingredients taken from the ordinary fridges of Canadian families. The improvised dinners must win over two families who act as judges to determine which chef wins each epic battle.

Canadian chefs facing off on FRIDGE WARS this season are:

·         Matt Basile vs Massimo Capra

·         Nadia G vs Rodney Bowers

·         Shahir Massoud vs Wallace Wong

·         Shane Chartrand vs Joshna Maharaj

·         La-toya Fagon vs Julie Miguel

·         Nicole Gomes vs Dustin Gallagher

Find more information about each celebrity chef here.

Each episode begins in the first family’s home where Hunter conducts a surprise fridge raid taking everything from last week’s leftover lasagna and the condiment collection to that questionable bag of frozen vegetables circa 2016. With the ingredients in-hand, the competition heats up at the FRIDGE WARS studio where two of Canada’s best chefs are given 45 minutes to create a masterpiece – cooking with the ingredients they’ve never seen for people they’ve never met.

When time’s up, the family takes their place at the dining room table, tasting each meal and scoring them on look, taste and originality. The results go in the FRIDGE WARS vault and the competition takes place again with a second family and another fridge full of challenging ingredients – this time upping the ante with a ‘What the Fridge’ (WTF) challenge that forces both chefs to adapt to a totally unique culinary crisis. With both families’ scores tabulated, the final scene reveals which chef created the most mouth-watering masterpieces and is named this week’s FRIDGE WARS champion.

FRIDGE WARS is a CBC original series, co-produced and co-created by CBC and The Gurin Company Inc.  The Executive Producer is Tracie Tighe, the Showrunner is Barry Davis, and the series Producer is Jeff Thrasher.

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