TV, eh? | What's up in Canadian television | Page 31
TV,eh? What's up in Canadian television
Big Brother Canada

Winner crowned on Big Brother Canada Season 11

From a media release:

In a season of whodunnit, Big Brother Canada Season 11 was filled with mystery, chaos, and paranoia, culminating in a showmance showdown for the first time in BBCAN history. During the season’s epic two-hour finale, Toronto’s Terrell “Ty” McDonald triumphed, becoming the Season 11 champion, capturing the grand prize. Throughout the season, Ty played as a lone soldier and with a showmance, continuously removing himself from danger by winning almost every POV he played in, earning him the prestigious title of Season 11 competition beast, breaking a BBCAN competition record. Ty convinced the jury that his underrated social game and stellar competition performances best represented Season 11, ultimately defeating Prince Edward Island’s Claudia Campbell, becoming this season’s winner by a vote of 8 to 1.

As the winner of Big Brother Canada Season 11, Ty walks away with $100,000 cash, $10,000 towards a brand-new wardrobe courtesy of WINNERS, and $10,000 worth of Shark® and Ninja® products. As runner up, Claudia takes home $20,000.

“Thank you to everybody,” said Ty. “I obviously believe in myself at all times, but at the end of the day, when I’m faced with adversity, I’m going to stay 10 toes down and keep pushing forward. So that’s what I did and that’s how I got to this point here. So thank you to everyone who supported me, and even if you didn’t support me, thank you because at the end of the day, I needed all of that energy to make it to this spot.”

In the final episode of the season, competition beast Ty, pint-sized powerhouse Claudia, and social superstar Daniel Clarke, competed in the most important challenge of the season – the highly coveted three-part HOH. In the first challenge, the trio went under the sea to perform an intense balancing act where Claudia secured the treasure of sending herself straight to the third round of the HOH competition on finale night.

In the second part of the HOH competition, Ty and Daniel went head-to-head in “Hands of Time,” a physical and mental challenge filled with the season’s mysteries that tested their coordination and game knowledge. After a pressure-filled start for both houseguests, time was on Ty’s side, winning the opportunity to compete against his showmance, Claudia, in the third and final round.

For the first time in Big Brother Canada history, a showmance showdown battled it out in the third round of the season’s final HOH competition, squaring off in a trivia game that tested their memory of the Season 11 jury members. Ty and Claudia were neck and neck until the final nail-biting moment, when Claudia answered the last question correctly, becoming the season’s final Head of Household and guaranteeing her spot in the final two. Forced to make the biggest decision of her game yet, Claudia remained loyal to her showmance Ty, choosing to evict Daniel, making him the ninth and final jury member of the season.

Ahead of Ty being named winner of Season 11, Arisa announced Canada’s choice for this season’s favourite houseguest, Newfoundland’s Jonathan Leonard. As Canada’s favourite houseguest of Big Brother Canada Season 11, Jonathan receives a $10,000 cash prize courtesy of WINNERS.

Watch the final three houseguests tomorrow on Global’s The Morning Show beginning at 9:30 a.m. ET for their first broadcast interview, in addition to ET Canada at 7:30 p.m. ET on Global.

Commissioned by Corus Entertainment, Season 11 of Big Brother Canada is produced by Insight Productions (a Boat Rocker company) in association with Corus Entertainment and content powerhouse Banijay, with the deal struck by distribution arm Banijay Rights. Executive Producers are John Brunton, Erin Brock, Eric Abboud, and Arisa Cox.

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Jann, Run the Burbs, Sort Of

Co-showrunners Jennica Harper and Nelu Handa to “Run” Run the Burbs

From a media release:

Longtime collaborators Jennica Harper (JANN, above right) and Nelu Handa (SORT OF, above left) will co-showrun Season 3 of the popular, hit CBC original comedy, RUN THE BURBS. Created by writer and actor Andrew Phung (KIM’S CONVENIENCE) and filmmaker Scott Townend (The Secret Marathon), RUN THE BURBS follows the Phams, a young, bold Vietnamese-South Asian-Canadian family taking a different approach to living life to the fullest, while changing the way we think about contemporary family values and life in the burbs. The series is produced by Pier 21 Films and distributed by Fifth Season. Season 3 of RUN THE BURBS is slated to broadcast on CBC and CBC Gem in Winter 2024, the first two seasons are available to stream now on CBC Gem.

Jennica Harper steps in after showrunning three seasons and a holiday special of the Jann Arden CTV comedy JANN. Nelu Handa has written and produced on the previous two seasons of RUN THE BURBS. Harper and Handa have a history of collaborating and worked together on all three seasons of JANN. They take over RUN THE BURBS from Season 2 showrunner Anthony Farrell. 

Harper and Handa bring a slew of accolades and comedy experience to the RUN THE BURBS team. In 2021, Nelu Handa won a Canadian Screen Award for “Best Writing” on the BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW. Her script for SORT OF was nominated for a Writers Guild of Canada Screenwriting Award for “Best Comedy”. She earned a Peabody Award for her contribution to the ground-breaking first season for SORT OF. Jennica Harper has won two Writers Guild of Canada Screenwriting Awards including “Best Comedy” script for JANN and “Best Tweens and Teens” script for kids’ comedy SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED.

Creator and star Andrew Phung shares, “I’m so pumped to be working with Jennica and Nelu on Season 3. I’m a big fan of Jennica’s work, and she brings such joy and relatability to the writer’s room. She leads with such a calming presence. I’ve worked with Nelu for the past two seasons of RUN THE BURBS, and have loved every minute of it. She’s so thoughtful and hilarious, and her experiences have greatly added to the development of the show and its characters. I’m truly honoured and so excited that they are co-leading the show together.”

Jennica Harper shares Phung’s enthusiasm stating, “I’m thrilled to be joining the RUN THE BURBS team, showrunning alongside Nelu. We’ve got a built-in trust, and share a lot of comedic instincts. Andrew and Scott, the creators, have been so welcoming to ‘the new kid.’ I’m honoured they’re trusting Nelu and I with their baby.

Season 2 was incredible. It told culturally specific yet super relatable stories, the characters deepened, and yet the whole season really amped up the funny. The goal for Season 3 is to have fun paying off a bunch of storylines started last season. Andrew and Camille are both working their dream jobs — but what does that mean for their work/life balance?”

Nelu Handa continues, “I’m excited to be taking this next step in my career on a show that I’ve come to love for two seasons. I’ve learned a lot from our past showrunners Anthony and Shebli Zarghami, they both exemplified strong leadership and created a really great work culture, traditions I’m aiming to continue in this role. Jennica’s an incredible person and has been a mentor for many years, so getting the chance to work alongside her is like a dream come true. 

I’m proud of the stories we get to tell. Exploring the experiences of a modern Canadian couple with rich cultural backgrounds is both very rewarding personally and relatable to so many viewers who are excited to see themselves reflected on Canadian television.”

In addition to CTV JANN’s three seasons and a holiday special, Jennica Harper has written and produced a wide range of TV genres, from dark crime dramas to kids’ multi-cam comedies. She was a Writer and Co-Executive Producer on the light mystery series THE SPENCER SISTERS (CTV), the medical adventure drama SKYMED (Paramount+/CBC), horror-comedy cult favourite THE ORDER (Netflix), and critically acclaimed thriller CARDINAL (Hulu/CTV), among others. 

Nelu Handa has written for multiple seasons of award winning comedy series including: JANN, SORT OF, BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW, ODD SQUAD, THE BEAVERTON, TALLBOYZ, and A Little Late with Lilly Singh. She’s written for RUN THE BURBS since the first season and served as writer/Co-EP on season two.

A CBC original series, RUN THE BURBS is Executive Produced by Laszlo Barna, Nicole Butler, Karen Tsang and Vanessa Steinmetz (for Pier 21 Films), Andrew Phung, and Scott Townend. Jennica Harper and Nelu Handa serve as Executive Producers, writers and showrunners. Co-executive producer is Jay Vaidya. Jessica Daniel is the Series Producer. Season 3 writers include Andrew Phung, Scott Townend, Jennica Harper, Nelu Handa, Jay Vaidya, Sara Peters, Angelica Mendizabal, and Mandeq Hassan.

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Heartland

CBC’s Heartland kicks off Season 17 production with its 250th episode

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From a media release:

CBC’s original family drama HEARTLAND starts production on its 17th season this week in Alberta. Season 17 features 10 one-hour episodes, the first of which will be the 250th episode of the series that started in 2007. Produced by Dynamo Films and SEVEN24 Films, Season 17 will premiere exclusively in Canada on CBC and CBC Gem this fall. 

HEARTLAND is the longest-running one-hour drama in Canadian television history. The series was nominated for the Cogeco Fund Audience Choice Award at the 2023 Canadian Screen Awards and has made its way into the hearts of viewers in more than 120 countries. In 2022, HEARTLAND fans watched 18 billion minutes to make it one of the most-streamed series in the United States. HEARTLAND is the only Canadian-made series to make the overall top-15 series watched by Americans across all streaming platforms. (Source: Nielsen 2023)

In Season 17, Amy (Amber Marshall) and the rest of the Heartland family know better than most that while dreams can sometimes come true, more often life takes us in unexpected directions. The new season is all about embracing the unexpected. It’s about new experiences and taking the path less traveled. In Season 17 the Bartlett-Fleming family will find themselves excited for the future and ready to embrace new adventures, challenges, and relationships. But no matter how much things may change, Amy, Lou (Michelle Morgan), Jack (Shaun Johnston), and Tim (Chris Potter) will continue to fight for what they believe in while staying rooted in the land that has been in the Bartlett-Fleming family for generations.

Amber Marshall shares, “It is hard to believe I have been part of 250 HEARTLAND episodes. When I look back and do the math, I’ve spent over 1700 days on set which is roughly 20,400 hours. I really can’t imagine a better group of people to create something so special. We are all so proud of this show.”

Michelle Morgan adds, “HEARTLAND entering the 17th season in an industry where a series is lucky to get a second or a third season is hard to wrap your head around. I attribute the longevity of HEARTLAND to a perfect alchemy of all the most important elements in television. We have a good story engine and great chemistry between the different actors on the set. We have a stunning and unique setting, a little piece of southern Alberta known as the Foothills. We have many knowledgeable local cowboys and cowgirls to guide the show and keep it authentically grounded in the western world. But the most important element is that it is a multi-generational show that anyone in the family can watch and enjoy.”

Shaun Johnston continues, “250 episodes of HEARTLAND! That sure is a beautiful thing. Working on HEARTLAND has been the greatest gift in a professional lifetime for me. And having been in the HEARTLAND family since the very first day of production all those many years back makes me proud to say that I am honoured, humbled, and privileged to be Jack Bartlett. Thank you CBC. And thank you, fans of HEARTLAND.”

Chris Potter finishes off by saying, “In 2007, HEARTLAND presented an opportunity of great promise. Over the course of its seasons, the promise realized, HEARTLAND has become a dream. A way of life for many of us involved in its ongoing creation. As we celebrate our 250th episode milestone it is with admiration for, and congratulations to, every person involved in making the show throughout the seasons. For me the dream goes on until I ride my horse into the HEARTLAND sunset. What a ride it’s been so far!”

Filming locations for Season 17 include Calgary, High River, Millarville, and Longview in Alberta, Canada.

HEARTLAND is based on the bestselling series of books by Lauren Brooke. The executive producers are Michael Weinberg, Tom Cox, Jordy Randall, and Mark Haroun along with co-executive producer Dean Bennett. The series is produced by Jess Maldaner. The series writers are Mark Haroun, Ken Craw, Caitlin Fryers, Heather Conkie, Alexandra Clarke, and Adam Hussein.

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Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Preview: Season 2 of Animal Planet’s Pets & Pickers offers services to low-income pet families

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I would do anything for my cat. Homer, who is 13, may get on my nerves with his early-morning requests to feed him or plaintive meows to be let outside when I’m in the middle of a Teams meeting, but I love the little guy.

That love of animals is at the heart of Pets & Pickers, a truly unique series on Animal Planet. Returning Saturday at 8 p.m. Eastern—and available to watch for free thanks to Bell’s free preview of their specialty channels right now—Pets & Pickers follows the folks at Regional Animal Protection Society (RAPS) Animal Hospital in Richmond, B.C., who have a groundbreaking way to fund often-expensive medical care for pets: a thrift store. It’s in the RAPS thrift store that staff sort through abandoned storage lockers for items that can be sold or auctioned off. All money raised pays for vet care and surgeries.

Saturday’s return kicks off with 11-year-old Tigger, a cat who has received some scratches to his face and muzzle that have hindered his breathing. While he’s under anesthesia, Dr. Regan discovers Tigger is missing teeth, and has additional swelling and infection.

Meanwhile, thrift store manager Karen—whose team has raised over $1 million to offset vet costs—is up to her shoulders in new items in two storage bins. Smaller items like an old lamp can pull in $40, while a box of vintage comic books can command upwards of $200. It all counts and quickly adds up to $2,000.

Back at the hospital, Tigger receives x-rays that uncover a possible answer to how he received his facial scratch and more serious issues. Thankfully, Tigger gets the treatment he needs, owner Rose is thrilled to have him back and appreciative that the bill has been covered by RAPS.

Equal parts Storage Wars and The Incredible Dr. Pol, Pets & Pickers is a fun and emotional ride.

Pets & Pickers airs Saturdays at 8 p.m. ET on Animal Planet.

Image courtesy of Bell Media.

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