Everything about Battle of the Blades, eh?

Battle of the Blades

CBC announces complete lineup of figure skaters for Battle of the Blades

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From a media release:

CBC today announced the complete lineup of figure skaters confirmed to compete live in the new season of hit returning series BATTLE OF THE BLADES (Season 5, 1×120, 6×60), with additional skaters rounding out the team who will be paired with hockey players to vie for the Season 5 championship. BATTLE OF THE BLADES, the highest-rated original English-language Canadian format of all time* and produced by Insight Productions, launches with a special two-hour premiere on Thursday, September 19 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) on CBC and the free CBC Gem streaming service. The complete lineup of hockey players, as well as the pairings for the competition, will be announced in the coming weeks.

First-time competitors include three-time World Ice Dance medallists, Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje, and two-time World Pairs champion, and two-time Olympic Games medallist, Eric Radford. Season 2 winner and two-time Olympic Games gold medallist in pairs skating, Ekaterina Gordeeva, and Season 4 winner and Olympian in pairs skating, Amanda Evora, will return to the ice. They join previously announced figure skaters Vanessa James and Violetta Afanasieva.

Ice dancers Weaver and Poje have represented Canada internationally for 13 years. These beloved fan-favourites have won three World Ice Dance medals, two gold medals at the Grand Prix Final Championships and three Canadian Ice Dance titles. They have represented Canada in ice dancing twice at the Olympic Games, placing seventh at Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2018.

Radford is a two-time Olympic Games medallist with pairs partner Meagan Duhamel with whom he also won back-to-back World Championship titles in 2015 and 2016, including an undefeated season in 2015. The pair won their seventh consecutive Canadian pairs’ title in 2018, setting an all-time record. Radford and Duhamel were part of the Canadian figure skating team’s silver medal at Sochi 2014, and gold at PyeongChang 2018. Radford is the only openly gay male to have won an Olympic Games gold medal.

Gordeeva and late pairs partner and husband Sergei Grinkov are two-time Olympic Games gold medallists, four-time World champions, and two-time European champions. Icons of Russian pair skating, Gordeeva and Grinkov are still considered the greatest of all time. Since her tragic loss, Gordeeva has gone on as a soloist and continues to perform worldwide. Gordeeva and partner Valeri Bure won Season 2 of BATTLE OF THE BLADES, with $100,000 for both Cardiac Kids and Compassion Canada charities.

Evora is a five-time pairs medallist at the U.S. Championships with former partner Mark Ladwig, with whom she represented Team U.S.A. at multiple international competitions including two World Championships over the span of 10 years. Evora and Ladwig competed on the American figure skating team for the Olympic Winter Games Vancouver 2010.  In 2013, Evora and partner Scott Thornton won the fourth season of BATTLE OF THE BLADES, winning $100,000 for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

Returning this fall, BATTLE OF THE BLADES combines athletes from two of Canada’s favourite sports — figure skating and hockey — as they pair up in a live, high-stakes figure skating competition for the charity of their choice. Hockey Night in Canada’s Ron MacLean will reprise his role as host, with four-time Canadian and four-time World champion figure skater Kurt Browning returning as head judge. Beloved Canadian Olympic Games ice dance champions, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, will be rink-side with him as guest judges for select episodes. Previously announced hockey players for the new iteration of the hugely popular format include hockey players Sheldon Kennedy and Natalie Spooner. First launched in 2009, BATTLE OF THE BLADES was broadcast on CBC from 2009—2013 (4 seasons, 57 episodes) and remains the highest-rated original English-language Canadian format of all time.*

A CBC original series, BATTLE OF THE BLADES is produced by Insight Productions. The series is executive produced by Insight’s John Brunton, Lindsay Cox, Erin Brock, and Mark Lysakowski and is co-created and executive produced by Olympian and World & Canadian Figure Skating Hall of Famer Sandra Bezic. 

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Battle of the Blades, Featured

Comments and queries for the week of April 26

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Our family is so happy that Battle of the Blades is returning. This was one show we all watched as a family. Bravo to the contestants, as it takes determination and commitment. Can’t wait until Season 5 starts. —The Kosturiks

I came across a website that has a history of the Toronto police from 1870-1920, which I find interesting because much of what is discussed has turned up in Murdoch Mysteries episodes. One thing the site points out is that police stations at that time were built with space to house the homeless and that the police were basically the only agency to deal with this issue. If this is true, perhaps homelessness could be the focus of an episode in Season 13. —Mary

So I am halfway through the second episode of Hudson & Rex and I am still waiting to hear that beautiful Newfoundland accent. The only thing a Newfoundlander will appreciate about this show is a little scenery shown in the background. That’s actually quite sad. Viewers get to see a little of Newfoundland but that don’t actually get to hear it. —Bradley

Got a comment or question about Canadian TV? Email greg.david@tv-eh.com or via Twitter @tv_eh.

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Battle of the Blades

CBC announces the return of Battle of the Blades

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From a media release:

CBC today announced the return of hit competition series BATTLE OF THE BLADES (Season 5, 8×60), from Insight Productions. Returning this fall, the revitalized series combines athletes from two of Canada’s favourite sports — figure skating and hockey — as they pair up in a live, high-stakes figure skating competition. In this new iteration of the hugely popular format, teams will once again compete for the charity of their choice. Further details will be announced later this spring.

First launched in 2009, BATTLE OF THE BLADES was broadcast on CBC from 2009 – 2013 (4 seasons, 57 episodes) and remains the highest-rated original English-language Canadian format of all time.*

A CBC original series, BATTLE OF THE BLADES is produced by Insight Productions. The series is executive produced by Insight’s John Brunton, Lindsay Cox, Erin Brock, and Mark Lysakowski and is co-created and executive produced by Olympian and World & Canadian Figure Skating Hall of Famer Sandra Bezic. For CBC, Sally Catto is General Manager, Programming; Jennifer Dettman is Executive Director, Unscripted Content; and Susan Taylor is Executive in Charge of Production.

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Battle of the Blades

Battle of the Blades names its winner

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Amanda Evora and Scott Thornton

From a media release:

CANADA’S VOTES WERE COUNTED AND THE BATTLE OF THE BLADES’ SEASON FOUR CHAMPIONS ARE AMANDA EVORA & SCOTT THORNTON

In perhaps the most enthralling season ever for the CBC original BATTLE OF THE BLADES, Amanda Evora & Scott Thornton were crowned Season Four champions in a grand spectacle tonight. Having received the most votes from coast to coast, following an extended voting period ending Friday, the final outcome caps off an exhilarating season. It was seven intense weeks of twists and turns, both dramatically and on the ice, with perhaps the most advanced all around skating ever seen on BATTLE OF THE BLADES.

After two routines last week and stellar praise from Kurt Browning and fellow judges Jamie Salé and P.J. Stock, it was up to Canada’s votes alone to determine the winner as the judges didn’t score the final performances. The numbers were close between the three finalists – Violetta Afanasieva & Jason Strudwick, Marie-France Dubreuil & Mathieu Dandenault, and Amanda Evora & Scott Thornton – but when the snow fell at the end of it, it was Amanda & Scott who would earn the most votes and be declared champions of Season Four.

Canada’s votes for Amanda & Scott were also a major gift for The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation with a $100,000 donation as result. Second runners up Violetta Afanasieva & Jason Strudwick and third runners up Marie-France Dubreuil & Mathieu Dandenault will receive $35,000 and $30,000 respectively for their charities.

It was a jam-packed finale with all 16 skaters returning for a special group number to start the show. Having hoisted 10 Stanley Cups and brandishing four Olympic medals among them, the highly decorated Season Four skaters looked on as the three final pairs performed a special sextet to celebrate the season. Fans also enjoyed a special performance from Kurt Browning and a guest routine from Mini Blades champions Georgia-Ann Reidl and Austin Martell.

New for Season Four, the Mini Blades competitions were a partnership between CBC and Skate Canada where select clubs were invited to host their own Mini Blades competitions, to serve as a fundraising initiative and to spotlight local skating clubs across Canada. Georgie and Austin hail from the Stayner Skating Club of Stayner, ON.

Fans can also watch the final Season Four winners, judges, choreographers and host Ron MacLean reflect on the past seven weeks in a one hour episode, which will air Dec. 1 at 8 p.m (8:30 NT). Loaded with exclusive footage and behind the scenes revelations, BATTLE OF THE BLADES devotees can celebrate the stories from a riveting season.

Amanda & Scott join an elite group of skaters with Season One champions Jamie Salé & Craig Simpson, Season Two Champions Ekaterina Gordeeva & Valeri Bure, and Season Three Champions David Pelletier & Tessa Bonhomme. As Season Four concludes, BATTLE OF THE BLADES has raised over $1 million for various charities since the first episode aired in 2009.

First time participant Amanda Evora is two-time U.S. Pairs Silver Medallist and the first ever Filipino-American to compete in the Winter Olympics. Her partner Scott Thornton was drafted third overall in 1989 by the Toronto Maple Leafs and in his 18-year NHL career also played for the Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Canadiens, Dallas Stars, Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks.
BATTLE OF THE BLADES is the highest-rated original Canadian format of all time. Combining athletes from two of Canada’s favourite sports, figure skating and hockey, eight World and Olympic figure skaters pair up with eight NHL hockey greats in the ultimate skating competition for charity. Anchoring CBC’s 2013 Fall Sunday night schedule, BATTLE OF THE BLADES airs at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) on CBC.

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Battle of the Blades, Heartland

New Sunday: Heartland, Battle of the Blades, Meet The Family

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Heartland, CBC – “Best Man”
When an old friend turns to Ty for help, Ty is torn between his ties to the past and his loyalties to his family at Heartland.

Battle Of The Blades, CBC – “Final – Champion Revealed”

Meet The Family, City – “Dimwit Dad”
Justin and Stephanie are taking their relationship to the next level: meeting the family. What Justin doesn’t know is that Stephanie’s family is played by actors determined to give him a hard time. But it won’t be easy: Mom shows him a grisly crime scene, Dad’s a clinical moron who entertains himself by throwing sandwiches at the fan, and brother Jason has rabies. Worst of all, sister Hannah needs a new groom after being left at the altar – and Justin would be the perfect replacement.

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