From Cassandra Szklarski of the Canadian Press:

• Chaz Bono gives Degrassi’s ground-breaking transgender storyline a boost
  A ground-breaking storyline on “Degrassi” gets a celebrity boost Friday when Chaz Bono drops by to offer some words of advice to a troubled transgender teen. Bono says he leapt at the chance to appear on the series when he learned of its Emmy-nominated plot surrounding Adam, a female-to-male transgender student. Read more.

From Bill Brioux of the Canadian Press:

• Degrassi franchise in elite company hitting 400-episode landmark
  In Canadian television circles, getting an original scripted show launched is an impressive achievement, a second season is a shocker and a third a miracle. A 400-episode run? Impossible. Read more.

From a media release:

DEGRASSI Becomes Longest-Running Canadian Drama Ever, as it Celebrates Milestone 300th Episode, This Friday on MuchMusic

MuchMusic’s iconic Canadian series DEGRASSI celebrates an impressive milestone this week when it airs its 300th episode this Friday, Oct. 26 at 9 p.m. ET. The episode also marks the 400th episode of the entire franchise since it first landed on the Canadian television landscape in 1980, making the series the longest-running English language drama in Canadian history, topping the long-standing title holder THE BEACHCOMBERS’ 387 episodes. For a detailed timeline of DEGRASSI click here.

“Very few television series have had an impact on multiple generations the way DEGRASSI has,” said Catherine MacLeod, Vice-President, Specialty Channels. “DEGRASSI is still as relevant today as it was thirty years ago, and we’re proud to be a part of this moment in television history.”

“How rare and wonderful it is to have an opportunity to tell 300-plus stories about teenage life,” said Linda Schuyler, Executive Producer, Epitome Pictures. “This is a testament to exceptional teamwork with our cast, crew, writers and our longstanding partnerships with CTV, MuchMusic and TeenNick.”

Friday’s episode marks the 300th episode since the revamped series was added to the CTV schedule in 2001. After nine seasons on CTV, DEGRASSI began broadcast of its 10th season on MuchMusic in 2010. Since its inception, DEGRASSI has been a groundbreaking series addressing the issues and circumstances of young people’s lives with honesty and frankness. Recognized for its willingness to discuss controversial topics such as teen pregnancy, drug use, bullying, sexuality, and sexual identity, DEGRASSI has managed to stay sharply relevant throughout its many seasons on the air.

The series’ impact has been recognized with a Peabody Award in 2011, seven Gemini Awards, and two Teen Choice Awards. DEGRASSI has also received nominations for some of the industry’s most coveted awards, including two Primetime EMMY® Award nominations, and four GLAAD Media Award nominations.

In Friday’s episode “Doll Parts” (Oct. 26 at 9 p.m. ET), Maya is not feeling very good about herself, so she allows Tori to give her a pageant-style makeover. Marisol suspects Mo of hiding something from her, and fears the worst. Is he in trouble? Meanwhile, Adam tries out for the boys volleyball team. The episode guest stars Ben Mulroney from CTV’s ETALK, who plays himself as the host of a beauty pageant.

To celebrate the 300th episode of DEGRASSI, Much’s 70,000 MuchCloser members have the chance to earn access to an exclusive behind-the-scenes clip. To claim this limited reward, MuchCloser members have to answer a trivia question about the 300th episode at muchmusic.com/degrassi, or they can check-in via the Degrassi Chat app. To sign up for a free MuchCloser account, visit MuchMusic.com/closer.

From a media release:

DEGRASSI is Back in Session Starting Oct. 12, Only on MuchMusic

• Chaz Bono and Canadian rockers Hedley make guest appearances
• Emmy®-nominated, Much original series returns with all-new episodes and new weekly timeslot, Fridays at 9 p.m. ET
• Fans can catch up on all the drama at www.muchmusic.com

Chaz Bono and Canada’s rock royalty Hedley are among the exciting guest appearances on DEGRASSI, when the iconic series returns Friday, Oct. 12 at 9 p.m. ET, exclusively on Much. The second half of Season 12 is jam-packed with dramatic storylines and challenging topics, tackling issues such as bullying, depression, and gender identity struggles. Full episodes of DEGRASSI are available on muchmusic.com, following the broadcast premiere.

When fans last saw the students of DEGRASSI, Eli’s school play, Romeo and Jules, had a successful opening night, and Clare made a decision to get even with Asher by going to the police. When DEGRASSI kicks off the second half of this season with “Building a Mystery” (Part 1), Becky begins to fall for Adam and worries about how her conservative parents will react. Meanwhile, Bianca urges Drew to reconnect with his mom. At a loss for film ideas, Eli is desperate for creative inspiration.

The mid-season finale of Season 12 in August was the #1 specialty program in its timeslot in its key demographic of viewers 12-17, as well as the #1 non-sports specialty program, with viewers 12-34.

Degrassi, MuchMusic – season premiere
Drew (Luke Bilyk) is ready to break-up with Katie (Chloe Rose) for Bianca (Alicia Josipovic) but dreads the drama and looks to some liquid courage to get the job done. Clare (Aislinn Paul) wants to be with Eli (Munro Chambers) but worries that he doesn’t feel the same way. Plus, complicating life for the crew is the arrival of a dozen hotties, as Degrassi welcomes players from a junior hockey team to the school.

The LA Complex, MuchMusic – season premiere