The Amazing Race Canada coming to CTV

From a media release:

Eh-mazing! CTV Greenlights THE AMAZING RACE CANADA

  • International hit franchise comes to Canada for summer run on CTV
  • Racers to discover the world’s diverse cultures and terrain within Canada
  • CTV selects Insight Productions to produce series with the support of THE AMAZING RACE creators Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri and Profiles Television

Get ready for the race of a lifetime, Canada. In an exclusive on-air message to Canadians during tonight’s episode of THE AMAZING RACE, host Phil Keoghan announced on behalf of CTV that the network has ordered THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, a Canadian-produced, complementary version of the hit international series. CTV has licensed the Canadian format rights from Disney-ABC Domestic Television and has selected Insight Productions to produce the series in Canada, with the support of Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri’s Profiles Television.

Casting, the host, and other show details for #RaceCDA will be announced in the coming months at www.CTV.ca/TheAmazingRaceCanada. Fans are encouraged to follow @AmazingRaceCDA and stay tuned to the CTV Facebook page.

Set to anchor CTV’s Summer 2013 schedule, THE AMAZING RACE CANADA will provide a uniquely Canadian take on the original series, with competitors discovering the world within the borders of Canada. Though the series’ specific destinations won’t be revealed until it airs, Canada offers divergent topography and disparate locales that are bound to add to the excitement and complexity of the show and its challenges, from Vancouver Island’s tropical rainforest, Alberta’s parched Badlands, the peaks of the Rockies, and the barren tundra of the Great White North, to the Boreal forests of Ontario and Quebec, the sea-faring ports of the Maritimes, the fjords of Newfoundland, and the teeming metropolises and undiscovered towns in between.

“THE AMAZING RACE CANADA is a big show for a big network,” said Phil King, President, CTV Programming and Sports. “Canadians deserve their own summer version, distinct from what is seen in fall and winter. With the incredible diversity, scope, beauty, and sheer land mass that Canada has to offer, THE AMAZING RACE CANADA will explore the world within Canada. It’s a perfect extension to an incredible brand, and a huge opportunity for racers, viewers, and advertisers.”

Added van Munster, “Canadians have embraced the franchise for over a decade, and also have been wildly enthusiastic about having a version produced in Canada. With the world’s second largest country as its backdrop, THE AMAZING RACE CANADA will offer a unique glimpse of the broad and diverse Canadian landscape and culture, while maintaining all of the excitement, spontaneity and challenge inherent in ‘The Race.’”

With the knowledge that most Canadians have not travelled beyond their own province, THE AMAZING RACE CANADA gives Canadians the opportunity to race around Canada and discover the country they love in a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. With potential stops in all 10 provinces and three territories, teams will race to the finish line, criss-crossing up to 9,000 kilometres. A stunning depiction of the Canadian fabric, the teams will travel through both the country’s urban centres as well as the most remote outposts in the land, all while exploring its broad cultural and ethnic diversity, wildlife, and iconic landmarks.

“We have been fans of THE AMAZING RACE for the last 21 seasons and are beyond thrilled to be bringing this format to Canada, giving Canadians the chance to run the race of a lifetime,” said John Brunton, Chairman and CEO, Insight Productions. “We can’t wait to start working with the Emmy® award-winning format creators, Profiles Television, and CTV on this exciting new adventure.”

THE AMAZING RACE CANADA is based on THE AMAZING RACE, the nine-time, Emmy® award-winning, hit program created by Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri that premiered in 2001 in the United States. Van Munster, Doganieri, and Mark Vertullo are executive producers for Worldrace Productions, a division of Profiles Television. Jerry Bruckheimer and Jonathan Littman are executive producers for Jerry Bruckheimer Television. The program is produced in association with ABC Studios. The U.S. version of THE AMAZING RACE is a Top 3 series this fall on CTV and is this season’s #1 reality program in Canada with an average audience of 2.7 million viewers.

THE AMAZING RACE CANADA will be the 12th international version to launch outside of the United States, joining Asia, Australia, Brazil, China, France, Israel, Latin America, Norway, Philippines, Ukraine and Vietnam as territories with an original THE AMAZING RACE production.

Complete details for THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, including the host, nation-wide audition process, and broadcast info, will be announced in the coming months.

Commissioned by CTV, THE AMAZING RACE CANADA will be produced by Insight Productions in association with CTV and with the support of Profiles Television. Executive Producers for Insight Productions are John Brunton and Barbara Bowlby, and Supervising Producer is Mark Lysakowski. Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri executive produce for Profiles Television. Robin Johnston is the CTV Production Executive. Corrie Coe is Senior Vice-President, Independent Production, Bell Media. Mike Cosentino is Senior Vice-President, Programming, CTV Networks. Phil King is President, CTV Programming and Sports.

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24 thoughts on “The Amazing Race Canada coming to CTV”

  1. “… within Canada.”

    OMFG what a cheap bunch of b******** at Bell.

    The appeal of the show is the world travel. When you take that away it no longer is so Amazing. The Amazing Race Australia isn’t WITHIN Australia but its participants are Australians. For season 2 episode 10 of The Amazing Race Australia the racers actually came here. Well pretty close to here. Banff. And from Banff they went to Beijing and then back home to Brisbane. Trying to imagine the Canadian version, Indian Head to Pembrooke to Flin Flon just doesn’t have the same appeal. Maybe they could make it just a bit interesting by having the teams go to Saint-Pierre.

    As one who has driven down the Highway 1 i do say it can be nice, it can be more boring than paint drying, but it isn’t worthy of being a game show and certainly this announcement is not worthy of the cryptic build-up it received in the past few days.

    OMFG, again. I just noticed there are auditions!!! I do not want to see episodes of auditioning to be on The Boring Canadian Race and most people probably don’t. That might be why it has been private applications submitted by perspective contestants for every other variant of this game show (at least the ones i have seen). Bell just talked me into watching whatever Shaw has on that night.

      1. Let’s hope you are right. “nation-wide audition process” does sound like Idol or Got Talent moreso than Mantracker. For the US version there is an application one submits with potential follow-up interviews if you are being considered. The audition process for most reality competition shows usually get at least an episode or two. The application process usually doesn’t get televised. Its that fine difference between an audition and an application.

        When the auditions for The Bachelor Canada were in Calgary CKAL’s Breakfast Television pretty much made it the subject of their entire show. It still haunts me ;)

    1. I don’t think it will be boring at all Canada has some amazing places as for most people won’t watch it i don’t agree no question it will be a big hit.

    2. So don’t apply and watch your Shaw. You sound really upset over a game ment for exploring and fun. I think it would be great for people to see what’s in their own backyard. I’m really excited about it :). I have also drivin the hwy before and to you it may be boring but to myself and most others (who haven’t taken it for granted) its still beautiful. There are many challenging regions in Canada including huge mountains, wide prairies, big lakes and oceans, severe climate change, different cultures, wild life, and even language barriers. The game may be about exploring the world but Canada is HUGE and a world of its own. It’s simply AMAZING!

  2. Canada does indeed have amazing places to visit, but CTV/Bellmedia are being cheap SOBs nonetheless. The appeal of The Amazing Race – which consistently places about third in the Canadian ratings – is the travel to exotic locales. It should be noted that the one season in which the American version of The Amazing Race ran a largely domestic race – in Season 8, the Family edition of The Race – is generally regarded as the worst season of the show ever. Even the contestants were dissatisfied with the format. On learning that their next destination after Panama would be Phoenix Arizona one racer said, ” What are we going to Phoenix Arizona for? I want to go to New Zealand.” I have a feeling that it could be the same way for this Canadian version of The Race: “What are we going to Saskatoon for? I want to go to New Zealand.” (Of course I live in Saskatoon!)

    If I had someone to do it with I’d apply for the show but quite frankly I’d want to go to New Zealand.

  3. Brent
    To travel in Canada its not cheap in many cases it costs more to travel in Canada then it does to fly to Europe or even Mexico.

    1. reidjr,
      It doesn’t have to be monetarily cheap. The concept is cheap. As in poorly conceived, unappealing, pathetic.But i would imagine there will be an air travel sponsorship / product placement heavily featured in TARc.

      I must have missed the Panama episode but i do recall TARus s8 in Montreal and downtown Toronto.Honestly i was surprised they ever got out of the US. I kept wondering why having a passport was a requirement for that particular season. TARc is doing the same thing as the failed season of TARus. I expect that once the thrill of the announcement of it finally happening wears off people are going to realise just how much they liked the variety of locations.

      TARus has been an insanely huge hit in Canada for years now. I expect TARc will get a 2nd season but if it remains domestic people will tune out. What makes the show so appealing is exactly the thing which Bell has ripped out of it. It is like Bell has built in their own roadblock. The only way it could remotely remain interesting is if they went to Moose Factory, Hans Island, Emerson, Val-d’Or, and Prince Rupert but more likely it will be Halifax, Toronto, Cornwall, Vancouver, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, and Montreal. The places it is easiest to fly to will be where they will go, or the suburbs thereof. They are also the places most people are generally quite familiar with.

      We are going to Saskatoon for a barbecue at Brent’s place.

  4. Jessica
    I hope they go to places like Whitehorse/Dawson City millions of people have no idea what these places are like they could even have 4 days in the Yukon/Nwt.

    People are quick to down play Canadian shows take Big Brother people said who would want to take part in the Canadian show well there was what 10,000 people who did sign up.

    1. Ten thousand people is not a lot. MuchMusic had less viewers for at least one episode of The LA Complex. If only 10000 people watch Big Brother Canada that would be something of interest to me.

      If this is to be filmed and ready for broadcast next summer then Bell really didn’t give themselves much time to select contestants, plan it out, film it, and edit it. Can you think of a time when any version of TAR dedicated 4 days or 4 episodes to any particular country (other than TARus s8). It is hard to race if you aren’t going anywhere. And by the time they get to filming it those winter roads would likely be unstable or entirely melted, thus limiting the travel that could be done within the territories.They might go to Whitehorse if there are flights convenient to the race but any place that has too infrequent air travel service isn’t some place they will likely go to. I keep thinking that they will make it a one-way trip from St John’s to Vancouver. How exciting would that be. Google Maps.

      “Fly to the city of bombers and jets, then drive to Boundary Avenue and make your declaration to Agent Smith.” Viewers can be entertained by some team who thinks that is a clue to do laps on the Perimeter Highway. The rest of the teams would be making their way to Emerson, Manitoba, a town whose southern border is also the national border. Or perhaps a clue something like, “Make your way to the only city in North America where the Euro is the official currency.”

      Despite all the places that could be raced to within Canada i still agree with Brent that New Zealand would be nice. Or perhaps Dublin and Galway.

  5. My daughter and son-in-law want to do this so badly!!! Although i too think it’s unfortunate that the wotld travel aspect of the show isn’t there, I think it has potential. There are many places within Canada that most Canadians didn’t even know existed….for example…did you know there is a dessert in Canada? Yup…with rattlesnakes, scorpions and cactus. See? Canada an be interesting!!

  6. wow…. I have always liked the amazing race. My husband and I thought it would be awesome to do that race, but because we’re Canadians we were never eligable. So finally Canadians can do the race….. and all they will do is within our own boarders……. Very disappointed. I suppose we should become Americans.

  7. I am super stoked for the Amazing Race Canada. I for one will be auditioning if I can.
    I love the show and could care less if it is within our own borders. Some people have not seen parts of this fine country we have for multiple reasons. I for one would love to see what Canada has to offer, in reality as opposed to beautiful pictures that I see.
    I think that Canada has a lot to offer in regards to the Amazing Race. There are places in this country that are WAY under appreciated.
    Can’t wait–Thanks CTV!

  8. Watch the price for winning the race will be something stupid like$100K.
    The main attraction is to see teams struggle with language and culture.
    Well I guess you can have that if you goth Quebec and the Maritimes!

  9. Editted version!

    Watch, the prize for winning the race will be something stupid like$100K.
    The main attraction is to see teams struggle with language and culture.
    Well I guess you can have that if you go to Quebec and the Maritimes!

  10. For the last few years, i have been thinking of way to become a USA resident just to be able to run the race. And i was so excited when i heard there is going to be Amazing Race Canada. But now i find out its only within Canada, all that excitement went away.

  11. I am signing up I think it’s great! Most Canadians haven’t even seen their own country! Yet they travel everywhere else!!

  12. My husband & I and my brother & sister-in-law have made the commitment (as many have done) to run a marathon/half marathon in each Canadian province and territory. We have seen some incredible places and met many womderful people. Yes it is expensive to travel in Canada – which is truly unfortunate, because every person should explore what this country has to offer. Our runs have allowed us to experience driving the Top of the World highway, flightseeing over the glaciers, the sounds of silence on Keno hill, the sourtough cocktail in Dawson City, the Carcross desert in the Yukon, and been awe-struck by the beuatiful mountain ranges – to name a few. 500 miles north of the arctic circle on the northern tip of Somerset Island, took us to Arctic Watch Lodge, Nunavut – home of beluga whales, polar bear, muskox and more – and challenging shale rock mountainous terrain, incredible waterfalls and surprisingly beautiful plant life growing out of the rock; to the northern tip of Labrador and the other very unique maritime provinces – the people and landscapes all very different and breath-taking in their own ways. I have not touched on all provinces and territories – don’t want to spoil the adventure. I am excited that the world will have the opportunity to see this amazing country we call home. My husband and I would love to be a part of the AMAZING RACE adventure.

  13. inning with a road trip from Calgary to Quebec in 1992, sisters Cyndy M. (lawyer) and Corrina I. (doctor), wanting the full Francais experience, developed French alter ego’s Genevieve and Yvette. In preparation for their arrival to Canada’s French speaking Province, Genevieve and Yvette commenced speaking their own version of the “French” language, which was really speaking English with really bad French accents. At about the time they reached the Manitoba border however, their French accents started sounding more German! Genevieve and Yvette then evolved into French/German alter ego’s. At road stops enroute to Quebec, they used a video camera and their warped sense of humour to “interview” people, telling these unsuspecting interviewees that Genevieve and Yvette were hosts of a (imaginary) travel show called “Pepe’s Travels”. Since their inagural trip, and for the last 21 years thereafter, Genevieve and Yvette have continued to travel the globe as their alter ego’s in search of new adventures while still video taping these adventures as ongoing episodes of Pepe’s Travels. Naturally, when the sisters learned that the Amazing Race Canada was looking for teams to audition, Cyndy and Corrina knew that Genevieve and Yvette would be perfect candidates for the Amazing Race….after all, they are strong, competitive (and sometimes with each other), fit, good at strategizing, can handle the Canadian Wildlife and so much more! Join them for another episode of Pepe’s Travels as Genevieve and Yvette train for “the Amazing Race Kanada!” on http://youtu.be/G2ZFKmxab0c

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