Everything about Bachelor Canada, eh?

Bachelor in Paradise Canada’s Claire Freeland: “You leave having been impacted by the experience”

For the most part, reality TV gets a bad rap. At best, it’s described as a guilty pleasure. At worst, it’s simply dismissed. But look a little deeper into a series like Bachelor in Paradise Canada, and you realize something. These people are putting themselves out there to find love, on-camera and sharing things most would only tell their closest friend.

“This is a show that dives deep into feelings,” executive producer Claire Freeland says. “What you want for your life, what you want for your life partner. A lot of these people leave transformed and having learned things about themselves. Whether or not you leave Paradise, The Bachelor or The Bachelorette with a life partner, you leave having been impacted by the experience.”

Freeland’s Good Human Productions brought The Bachelor Canada and The Bachelorette Canada to viewers years ago. Now they’re back with Bachelor in Paradise Canada.

Debuting Sunday at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Citytv, Bachelor in Paradise Canada (followed by The Bachelor After Show: After Paradise Canada at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT with Deepa Prashad and Daryn Jones) is distinctive for a couple of reasons. First, it’s in northern Ontario in a camp setting very different from the U.S. version fans are used to. And, secondly, the cast of 26 participants is made up of Canadian Bachelor alumni, U.S. Bachelor alumni and members of the Bachelor Nation—Canadian fans of the franchise—a series first. Freeland, a fan of the franchise overall, has grown to love Paradise because it gives her the opportunity to check on a bunch of relationships rather than just one.

“We always knew we wanted to do a Canadian version of Paradise, but there was always the conundrum about how to attack it,” Freeland says. “And I feel like we’ve cracked the nut.”

Familiar names from the Canadian series include Bianka Kamber, David Pinard and Stacy Johnson, while the U.S. franchise offers up Caitlin Clemmens, Alex Bordyukov and Brendan Scanzano. Guiding the ship is host Jesse Jones (featured image) and serving up drinks and advice to these love-lorn folks? Kevin Wendt.

“We’ve remained friends with Kevin over the years,” Freeland says. “When we thought about who could be the bartender, but also be a symbol of this process working, it was pretty easy that we arrived at Kevin.

“When that guy is on the beach, on the other side of the bar, and you’re looking for someone to give you some advice or share your feelings with, Kevin is the ultimate person.”

Bachelor in Paradise Canada airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Citytv.

Images courtesy of Rogers Media.

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Citytv reveals 26 singles heading to the lakeside love nest on Bachelor in Paradise Canada

From a media release:

Fall may be around the corner, but Citytv is gearing up for a quintessentially Canadian summer of love. Today, the network revealed the romantic hopefuls looking for another chance at love on the highly-anticipated new series Bachelor in Paradise Canada. Featuring a mix of 12 Canadian and U.S. Bachelor alumni favourites and – in a first for the global franchise – 14 Canadian #BachelorNation fans, Camp Paradise officially gets underway with a two-hour premiere on Sunday, Oct. 10 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Citytv and Citytv.com. Then, at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT, join KiSS 92.5’s Deepa Prashad and Daryn Jones for the weekly half-hour The Bachelor After Show: After Paradise Canada where they break down all the juicy gossip and drama from the Bachelor universe – The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise – and across Bachelor Nation.

Ranging in age from 25 to 37 – and hailing from all over Canada and the United States – the Camp Paradise singles are a diverse group of character, energy, and background, with one thing in common – their search for that special someone. See full list below; fans can learn more about each romantic hopeful at Citytv.com.

Brand partnerships for the inaugural season of Bachelor in Paradise Canada include Expedia, Twisted Tea, KITS and Estée Lauder to name a few. Each of the sponsors will receive variations in multiplatform sponsorship integration across Roger Sports & Media’s Entertainment brands, including television, radio, and digital. Activations also entail in-show content, brand sell opportunities, co-branded promotions, and in-store extensions.

Hosted by Jesse Jones and featuring Bachelor alumni Kevin Wendt as bartender, Bachelor in Paradise Canada airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET/PT and follows some of North America’s most eligible bachelors and bachelorettes as they explore new relationships in their secluded love nest on the lake where their only job is to soak up the summer sun, cozy up by the campfire, frolic in the water, take long romantic canoe rides under the vast Canadian star-filled sky… and fall in love.

Canadian Bachelor Alumni

Bianka Kamber, 37, The Bachelor Canada Season 1 (Brad Smith), Toronto, ON

Chris Kotelmach, 35, The Bachelorette Canada Season 1 (Jasmine Lorimer), Saskatoon, SK

David Pinard, 32, The Bachelorette Canada Season 1 (Jasmine Lorimer), Toronto, ON

Lisa Mancini, 28, The Bachelor Canada Season 3 (Chris Leroux), St. Catherines, ON

Mike Ogilvie, 34, The Bachelorette Canada Season 1 (Jasmine Lorimer), Winnipeg, MB

Stacy Johnson, 29, The Bachelor Canada Season 3 (Chris Leroux), Vancouver, B.C.

U.S. Bachelor Alumni

Alex Bordyukov, 32, The Bachelorette Season 13 (Rachel Lindsay), Detroit, MI

Angela Amezcua, 31, The Bachelor Season 21 (Nick Viall), Greenville S.C.

Brendan Scanzano, 26, The Bachelorette Season 17 (Katie Thurston), Toronto, ON

Caitlin Clemmens, 27, The Bachelor Season 23 (Colton Underwood), Toronto, ON

Illeana Pennetto, 26, The Bachelor Season 25 (Matt James), New York, NY

Kamil Nicalek, 33, The Bachelorette Season 14 (Becca Kufrin), New York, NY

Bachelor Nation

Adam Kunder, 28, Windsor, ON

Alice Li, 27, Toronto, ON

Ana Cruz, 26, Montreal, QC

Brendan Morgan, 30, Edmonton, AB

Connor Rogers, 27, Toronto, ON

Iva Mikulic, 25, Calgary, AB

Jeremy Lohier, 28, Montreal, QC

Joey Kirchner, 31, Medicine Hat, AB

Josh Guvi, 28, Vancouver, B.C.

Karn Kalra, 30, Toronto, ON

Kit Blaiklock, 27, Vancouver, B.C.

Nicole Cregg, 25, Toronto, ON

Sasanet Iassu, 26, Halifax, N.S.

Veronique Paquette, 31, Sudbury, ON

Bachelor in Paradise Canada is the Canadian version of the perennially successful Bachelor in Paradise franchise, which is currently in its 7th season on Citytv. Both the 10-episode, original reality series and The Bachelor After Show: After Paradise Canada are produced by Good Human Productions Inc., with Claire Freeland serving as Executive Producer, Keely Booth as Showrunner and Michael Margolis as Series Director.

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Canada’s Got Talent returns with Simon Cowell to headline Citytv’s 2021/22 original programming slate

From a media release:

Add equal parts universally-proven formats, diverse Canadian storytelling, and tremendous talent, garnish with the most dramatic twists (ever!), and serve with a side of serious canine cuteness and you have the perfect mix for Citytv’s 2021/22 original lineup, announced today at the Rogers Sports & Media Upfront.

Citytv is building on the global success of the Got Talent and Bachelor franchises with the launch of Canada’s Got Talent, Bachelor in Paradise Canada, and The Bachelor After Show. And there’s more, with the return of Citytv’s highest-rated original scripted series Hudson & Rex and the newest chapter of OMNI Television’s Blood and Water.

Created by Simon Cowell, the Got Talent franchise holds the Guinness World Records title as the most successful reality TV format, and now Canadians can once again take the stage and hear the golden buzzer as Citytv has commissioned Canada’s Got Talent in partnership with Fremantle, SYCO Entertainment, and McGillivray Entertainment Media Inc. The show begins production this Fall in Niagara Falls, ON, and premieres in Spring 2022 with nine original episodes. Canada’s Got Talent celebrates home-grown hopefuls from across the country as young and old, from every corner of the nation, show the country what they’ve got.

Keep the bubbly flowing, Bachelor Nation. As announced earlier this year, Bachelor in Paradise Canada is coming exclusively to Citytv this Fall, airing Sundays at 8 p.m. ET. The drama continues beyond the rose ceremony with the launch of The Bachelor After Show, airing Sundays at 10 p.m. ET. Hosted by KiSS 92.5’s Deepa Prashad and Daryn Jones, the two will dish on all the juicy gossip and drama from the Bachelor universe – The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise – and across Bachelor Nation.

Citytv’s #1 original scripted hit series Hudson & Rex, which experienced 77% audience growth since Season 1*, is back with more bark as production for Season 4 begins in St. John’s later this month and will air in mid-season. New this year, in partnership with Access Reelworld and Rogers Sports & Media, Citytv announces Level UP, a new mentoring initiative which provides on-the-ground set experience to emerging writers and directors who identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Colour. This year’s program sponsors are Hudson & Rex producers Shaftesbury and Pope Productions, who welcome successful applicants to their set and writers room to shadow the crew, hone their skills, and develop additional training.

On OMNI Television, private detective Michelle Chang (Selena Lee, Forensic Heroes IV, Once More) is back on the case as Blood and Water: Fire & Ice, the original Chinese-Canadian drama, returns for a compelling third and final season, premiering Sunday, June 13 at 10:30 p.m. ET. Season 3 continues the saga of the billionaire Xie family in which Michelle finds surprising allies as she hunts down Norris Pang, the ruthless criminal who kidnapped her daughter. Produced by Breakthrough Entertainment, in association with OMNI Television, the eight 30-minute episodes star Selena Lee, Elfina Luk, Sean Baek, Loretta Yu, Fiona Fu, and Oscar Hsu.

Rounding out Citytv’s original content offering are popular schedule staples Breakfast Television, two-time CSA winner as Best Morning Show, and Cityline, the longest-running and most successful Canadian daytime show for women.

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The Bachelor Canada: Rap battles, poolside chats and baby talk

Last week was a jam-packed one here at TV, eh? and as a result, I wasn’t able to recap last Wednesday’s episode of The Bachelor Canada. But here I am and ready to break down all of the breakdowns that occurred this week. Let’s go!

Now that Shanti has been eliminated, all eyes have turned to Brittany. Brittany was instrumental in getting Shanti booted, so I should have realized she’d be one to watch for the rest of this season. Chris announced this was the week he hoped to advance relationships and figure out who might be in it for the long haul.

After some back and forth clips establishing Brittany and Jessie aren’t pals, Noah dropped off the first date invitation for Stacy, Kait, Jessie and Brittany to attend a pool party at Chris’ place. I laughed out loud when Chris welcomed the four ladies and told them he does this all the time. Really? You invite four girls over to your place all the time to just chill out? Anyway, Chris pulled Kait aside first and revealed he’s an edgy dude who is looking for a girl willing to try anything. He and Jessie continued to grow their relationship as she asked him about baseball and if that defined him. For her part, Jessie revealed applying for The Bachelor Canada was a crazy move for her and doing crazy things might have the biggest payoff. After a quick toast and some Brittany one-on-one time with gossip and smooches, Chris awarded Jessie a rose.

The second group date promised some bomba for Lisa, Lara, Lyndsey, Meghan, Mikaela and Dee. Dee was bummed because she wanted a one-on-one to decide whether she should stay or go home to her daughter. Rather than lazing about by the pool, the six ladies were tasked with writing a bomba, a traditional poem used to communicate feelings. The girls paired up, worked and prepared to recite their poem in front of a school full of kids. Lara and Lisa managed to be funny and dis their competition, Lyndsey and Dee were terrible, and Mikaela and Meghan won. That meant Mikaela and Meghan went head-to-head in a bomba battle with Mikaela winning it all. She landed some personal time with the bachelor and made the most of it with some mini golf and kisses after sinking every putt. After more kisses and slow dancing, Mikaela was given a rose.

The one-on-one date of the week was awarded to Catie and had a yoga theme to it, which made her day. Chris may have been uncomfortable with the yoga moves he was asked to perform, but he sure looked at home with Catie in his lap. Still, Chris had real issues connecting with her on the same spiritual level and it bothered him. Later, the pair practiced more eye gazing before Chris presented Catie with a rose.

At the cocktail party, Lyndsey was questioning whether or not she and Chris had shared a connection … until he pulled her aside for a makeout session. Lisa and Chris smooched in the rain, grounding her concerns too. Dee finally got the opportunity she was hoping for and sat down with Chris to talk about her daughter. Unfortunately for her, Chris wasn’t ready to settle down with a child and they agreed it would be best for her to depart.

Here’s who will be back next week:

  • Jessie
  • Mikaela
  • Catie
  • Lyndsey
  • Brittany
  • Kait
  • Meghan
  • Stacy
  • Lisa

The Bachelor Canada airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on W Network.

Images courtesy of Corus Entertainment.

 

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The Bachelor Canada: Battleground in Costa Rica

Now that the first episode of The Bachelor Canada was out of the way, we could really get down to business. I mean, I felt bad seeing the girls who didn’t get a rose leave last week, but we never really got to know them that well anyway. At least, not as well as the 15 who accompanied Chris to Costa Rica.

I excitedly opened up my bottle of Two Oceans Wine—broadcast sponsor for this season—and settled in to absorb all of the drama as it unfolded.

And what drama there was! As soon as the drinks were poured former model Shanti was disparaging her fellow competitors as not being to the quality she’s used to. Poor baby. Shanti distanced herself from the other girls, literally, preferring to sit off by herself while the remaining 14 wondered exactly what her deal was. With two group dates and a single one-on-one date, the pressure would be on to impress Chris enough to keep him interested. Dee got the first impression rose last week and was hoping Costa Rica would be the perfect setting … to tell Chris about her daughter.

Dee would have to attempt that chat during one of the group outings because it was Lyndsey who scored the one-on-one. The pair united at the airport and hopped aboard a plane for a ride over an active volcano. Laughter was had, sarcastic jokes were traded and cuddling occurred … until Chris asked her age. The 10-year difference—he’s 33 and she’s 23—seemed to throw him for a loop. Chris stuck with the date and was rewarded with a treehouse dinner, but he couldn’t shake the age difference; Lyndsey countered that she’s done a lot of living in those years and is ready to be in a relationship. She’s also encountered hurt: a longtime beau she was ready to marry was on Tinder looking to score a quickie. The result? Chris gave her a rose and major smooches.

Meanwhile, the lucky 13 gathered together to learn who’d be on the first group date: Brittany W., Catie, Lisa, April, Meghan and Mikaela. Then, suddenly, Shanti was asking to have a group meeting. Her issue? None of the other girls, in her opinion, were up to Chris’ standards and if they could see how they were acting most of them would be going home. She added that the stress they were putting on her was making Shanti physically sick. It had become painfully obvious that Shanti shouldn’t be in the house or on The Bachelor Canada.

Thankfully, the group date began, with Chris welcoming who he selected for a photo shoot on the beach. The idea, of course, was to see the girls in a group setting and observe who was more willing to go with the flow and have fun. Meghan made the most of her 1800s swimming outfit, something Chris noted right away. Funniest photo shoot was Lisa, who insisted she don her mermaid lower half for the camera, something Chris wasn’t too excited about. Catie had the winning shots; there was a palpable connection between the two and her eyes betrayed her growing feelings. Then they kissed, sending everyone into a tizzy. Mikaela got back at Catie by kissing Chris as she approached for some alone time, shocking the latter. Meghan got her kisses in too before Chris handed Catie a rose.

As for the final group date, Brittany M., Dee, Jessie, Kait, Stacy, Lara, Ashley and Shanti were off to do battle, but not before Brittany made a devious move first. After discovering Shanti in the bathroom, she suggested Shanti tell Chris about the other girls in the house. The planned group date, however, was scuttled due to weather so Chris dropped by to party at the girls’ place, promising some key personal time with the group date members. That didn’t sit well with Shanti, who made the most of her time with Chris to tear into her competition. Anyone who has watched this franchise knows you don’t rat out others, especially during alone time with the bachelor or bachelorette. Chris finally clued in that perhaps Shanti was the problem and he was doing damage control until the rose ceremony when Shanti told Chris that Dee was a single mother … as Dee walked into the room. It was awful. It was unthinkable. It was embarrassing to watch. That cast a shadow on the rest of the night, despite Stacy and Kait’s nice chats with Chris.

In an unprecedented move—at least that I’ve witnessed in the Canadian franchise—Chris grew frustrated with Shanti’s constant harping about the other girls and asked her to leave. Good on him for doing that … and on Brittany for her power play. The cocktail party was skipped, meaning no more personal time to make an impression before the rose ceremony. Catie was ill and skipped the ceremony (Was she hung over? Did she eat a bad shrimp?) so she missed seeing who was eliminated.

Here’s who will be back next week:

  • Catie
  • Lyndsey
  • Stacy
  • Mikaela
  • Kait
  • Dee
  • Brittany M.
  • Meghan
  • Lisa
  • Lara
  • Brittany W.
  • Jessie
  • April

What did you think of the episode? Are you happy Shanti was sent home or will you miss the drama? Let me know in the comments below!

The Bachelor Canada airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on W Network.

Images courtesy of Corus Entertainment.

 

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