Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Cineflix unveils first look at upcoming CBC docuseries Cirque Life

October 9, 2025 Greg David Leave a comment

From a media release:

Cineflix unveils a first look at Cirque Life, the highly anticipated new docuseries premiering winter 2026 on CBC and CBC Gem in Canada. The five one-hour episodes offer an unprecedented behind-the-scenes journey into the vibrant world of LUZIA, one of Cirque du Soleil’s most celebrated shows.

Cirque Life follows the extraordinary cast and crew as they return to Montréal—home to Cirque du Soleil—for the first time since the show’s 2016 debut. Over one unforgettable summer under the big top, cameras capture the exhilarating highs and relentless demands of up to ten shows a week during a spectacular four-month run.

From the hoop diver captain and veteran contortionist to the band leader and pole soloist, the series spotlights the remarkable individuals who bring Cirque du Soleil’s artistry to life. Balancing jaw-dropping acrobatics, the pressures of performance, and the realities of life in the limelight, Cirque Life is an immersive, heartwarming, and inspiring celebration of the human spirit—and the commitment it takes to be part of this iconic troupe.

“With Cirque Life, we want to give audiences an authentic window into the extraordinary world of Cirque du Soleil—beyond the spotlight and into the heart of the people who make the magic happen. These are incredible artists, but they’re also people facing real-life choices that come from making a life on the road. Their dedication, self-discipline, and resilience are awe-inspiring, and we’re thrilled to share their stories in a way that celebrates the human spirit as much as the spectacle,” said Tanya Blake, Executive Producer, Cineflix.

Cirque Life is produced by Cineflix for CBC in Canada. Cineflix Rights is the worldwide distribution partner for the series. The Executive Producers include Tanya Blake and J.C. Mills for Cineflix; with Susan Levison and Richard Lowell for Cirque du Soleil.

CharlesTM Charles, Featured

Hamilton nabs the spotlight in laugh-filled Fibe TV1 series Charles TM Charles

October 8, 2025 Greg David Leave a comment

Bell Fibe TV1 subscribers have access to a ton of locally-shot series. Viewers can catch chef Michael Smith on PEI’s Chef on Fire, Halifax’s very funny comedy Vollies, Manitoba’s docuseries A Chance to Dream and Quebec’s music series A Guitar for Pascale, to name just a handful.

There are dozens of excellent series available, showcasing Fibe TV1’s mandate of hyper-local programs, one of the latest being Hamilton’s Charles^TM Charles.

Co-created, co-written, co-directed and produced by Jess Joy and Stephen James, Charles^TM Charles is an eight-episode mockumentary full of awkward laughs, deadpan stares into the camera and heart.

Available now on Bell Fibe TV1, the series stars Kevin Jollimore as Southern Ontario’s most confident—but least successful—business mogul. When trademarking his own name fails to jumpstart his career, he reluctantly agrees to mentor two young entrepreneurs—Shanay (Shaeane Jimenez) and Josh (Adam Lupis)—in the hopes of finally earning the recognition he deserves.

“The idea for the show started with my love for Parks & Recreation,” Joy says. “I decided to take a stab at my own show. At the time, I was working with some guys who were very full of themselves but actually not very good at what they do, which I think a lot of people encounter, so I wanted to poke fun at a character who has a lot of that bravado but we can still laugh at and feel for as well.”

Charles certainly is full of himself, but Shanay successfully puts him in his place more than once in Season 1. While Josh is starry-eyed at being mentored by Charles, Shanay—who reluctantly took on the mentorship after losing out on her first choice—challenges Charles on numerous occasions over his outrageous claims and business acumen.

The relationship between the trio, as well as Charles’ chats with friend/lawyer/accountant/doctor Manu (Wes Malik), softens the edges around the series’ lead character.

“Jess and I had conversations with Kevin while we were filming,” James recalls. “And we talked about how, if the line he was saying was negative and potentially unsympathetic, then the delivery couldn’t be that way. If [the delivery] is kind and calm, then he can be a bit harsh. But if what he is saying is hurtful, he can’t go too serious.”

Filmed in January in Hamilton, Season 1 focuses on Charles’ aim to win the city’s Business Person of the Year Award. It won’t be easy; his biggest competition is also his biggest rival in Melissa Van Hershey (Cheryl Poirier).

Charles^TM Charles is available now on Bell Fibe TV1.

Image courtesy of Dustin Rabin.

Amazing Race Canada, Featured

Casting for Season 12 of CTV’s The Amazing Race is now open

October 8, 2025 Greg David Leave a comment

From a media release:

On the heels of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA’s Season 11 finale, and recent Season 12 renewal announcement, CTV has confirmed that casting is now open for the upcoming season. Beginning today, aspiring racers can apply for their chance to experience the adventure of a lifetime at CTV.ca/TheAmazingRaceCanada.

Those looking to experience an unforgettable journey are invited to pair up with a teammate – a friend, relative, partner, or anyone else they share a relationship with – and submit their application for this once-in-lifetime opportunity. Further casting details, including instructions on how to submit an application, are available at CTV.ca/TheAmazingRaceCanada, with additional updates on the show’s official accounts on TikTok, Instagram, X, and Facebook.

“THE AMAZING RACE CANADA is a true test of any relationship,” said Mark Lysakowski, Executive Producer and Showrunner. “It’s an experience unlike any other in Canada and we can’t wait to see who applies for this life-changing adventure.”

Searching for teams from coast-to-coast-to-coast, THE AMAZING RACE CANADA is seeking individuals who are:

Adventurous and outgoing: The race is a physically and mentally demanding competition, so applicants should be comfortable with challenges, extensive travel, and have a positive attitude.
Strong communicators: Teams need to work together effectively and communicate clearly to solve puzzles and navigate their way throughout the race.
Problem solvers: The race throws unexpected curveballs, so applicants should be quick thinkers and able to adapt to new situations.
Passionate about Canada: The nation’s favourite summertime adventure series showcases the beauty and diversity of Canada, so applicants should be ready to explore the country.

Customized and wholly integrated brand partnership opportunities for THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, including video, digital, social, audio, and OOH platforms with first in class data opportunities, are currently available for the upcoming season.

Hosted by Olympic gold medallist Jon Montgomery, Season 11 of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA was the #1 summer series overall (P2+ and A25-54), with a season average of 1.3 million viewers. The series also closed out its eleventh year as Canada’s most-watched summer series among A25-54. THE AMAZING RACE CANADA Season 11 also ranked as a Top 5 program on CTV.ca this summer.

To help aspiring racers get race-ready, all previous seasons of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA are currently available for streaming on Crave, allowing fans to relive the excitement of the race from the very beginning.

THE AMAZING RACE CANADA is produced by Insight Productions Ltd. (A Blue Ant Studios Company) in association with CTV. For Insight, John Brunton is Executive Producer and Mark Lysakowski is Executive Producer and Showrunner.

Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

12 homegrown designers compete in Project Runway Canada, debuting November 14 on Crave

October 8, 2025 Greg David 1 Comment

From a media release:

Canada, the catwalk is calling! The Crave Original series PROJECT RUNWAY CANADA, the Canadian adaptation of the globally renowned fashion competition series, premieres on Friday, Nov. 14, with new episodes streaming Fridays until the finale on Jan. 16.

Also announced today are the 12, talented Canadian designers set to sketch, snip, and sew their way through a series of challenges for their ultimate industry breakthrough.

As previously announced, PROJECT RUNWAY CANADA is hosted by renowned Canadian supermodel Coco Rocha, who also joins the judging panel alongside fashion media icon Jeanne Beker, and CAFA award-winning designer Spencer Badu. Providing designer mentorship is Vice Chair of the Council of the Fashion Designers of America, Aurora James. The exciting lineup of guest judges joining the panel each week is set to be announced soon.

Over 10 episodes, PROJECT RUNWAY CANADA brings some of the country’s most exciting designers together to compete in a captivating series of challenges, with surprises and twists along the way. The designers share their stories and unique runway creations as they compete for the title of Canada’s Next Great Designer, from TD, a career launching investment of $100,000, and a coveted feature spread in an upcoming issue of Elle Canada magazine.

The series was filmed earlier this year at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) and produced in collaboration with Fashion at The Creative School.

The PROJECT RUNWAY format is licensed for Canada from Fremantle. Spyglass Media Group owns the format for PROJECT RUNWAY.

PROJECT RUNWAY CANADA is produced by Bell Media Studios. Jennifer Couke and Michelle Crespi are Executive Producers. Coco Rocha also serves as Executive Producer. Charles Falzon, Dean Emeritus, The Creative School, Toronto Metropolitan University, is Executive Producer. Nicholas Vasil is Series Producer.

Featured, The Office Movers

Crave unboxes Season 2 of The Office Movers on November 7

October 8, 2025 Greg David Leave a comment

From a media release:

Crave announced today that its original, Canadian Screen Award-nominated comedy series, THE OFFICE MOVERS, returns for a second season, on Friday, Nov. 7 with all six episodes available at launch. Created by and starring Brampton-born brothers Jermaine “Jae” and Trevaunn “Trey” Richards as Everett and Eric Saunders, the new season filmed and set in the Toronto area, features the brothers embroiled in bond-testing schemes, shady insurance scams, bogus grants, and rivalries with cutthroat family competitors.

Shazam moving company is still in business (suprisingly…!) Picking up where Season 1 left off, Season 2 finds Everett and his team hustling to compete with Zenithon Logistics, the corporate giant determined to crush every small-time moving business in the city. But after overpaying for a new warehouse (complete with a new, oddball landlord), Everett must turn to a series of desperate, money-making schemes in order to stay afloat. He drags Ricky (Lucas Lopez) into an explosive insurance scam, pressures Carla (Heather Gallant) to stretch the truth on a DEI grant application, and bankrolls Cousin Cloudy’s (Andy Agyepong-Ntra aka WatswithAndy) half-baked attempt to convert their basement into a short-term rental unit. As Everett’s plans unravel, his brother Eric begins to question his loyalty – and whether Zenithon might offer a smoother ride.

The returning cast dusting off their dollies and stretching their injured backs for another round of workplace chaos are: Gallant as Carla Morris; Lopez as Ricky; Marina Nedic as Trisha Roosevelt; Hassan Phills as Hassan Ahmed; Agyepong-Ntra (WatswithAndy) as Cloudy; Michael Charles as Marcus Adeyimi; Solomom Kehinde as Michael; and Baldeep Sehmbi as Prince.

Joining the crew this season are Danny Martinello as Shazam’s newest hire Doug; Gervail Sean Lemo as Shamez; Shazam’s new landlord; ZlamDunk as Zlad, the bad boy son of Zenithon’s CEO; and Marlon Palmer as Carla’s love interest Chrisss.

Also announced today, is the the 30-min holiday special, PROJECTED TO HAVE A BLESSED CHRISTMAS, premiering Friday, Dec. 19. In this special, Everett (Jae) is determined to prove his holiday spirit to the crew. But he never thought volunteering at a church would lead to putting out literal fires, scoping out sketchy warehouses, and gifting families in need a bunch of R-rated toys.

THE OFFICE MOVERS is produced by Counterfeit Pictures and Random Order Studios in association with Crave. The series is created by brothers Jermaine and Trevaunn Richards, who also serve as executive producers through their creative studio, Random Order Studios, along with Clara Altimas and Counterfeit’s Dan Bennett, Shane Corkery, and Anton Leo. Sebastian Cluer and Clara Altimas serve as directors. Chantal Kemp and Counterfeit’s Chris Kelley are producers.