New year, new scorch marks. The country’s boldest comedians swing hard and spare no one in Season 5 of ROAST BATTLE CANADA, airing Mondays at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT on CTV Comedy Channel beginning Jan. 12, and streaming next day on Crave. Each of the eight half-hour episodes feature two pairs of Canadian comedians stepping up to the mic to dish out ruthless jokes at one another’s expense – with no punchlines off limits – in a no-holds-barred verbal showdown with the hope of being crowned the winner.
Returning as judges this season are celebrated comics Russell Peters, Sabrina Jalees, and K. Trevor Wilson, alongside actor and comedian Ennis Esmer as host.
For the first time ever, Season 5 of ROAST BATTLE CANADA was filmed in front of a live audience at Espace St-Denis during the Just for Laughs Festival in Montréal this past summer. Viewers can also enjoy the first four seasons of ROAST BATTLE CANADA on Crave ahead of the Season 5 premiere.
Comedians stepping into the verbal octagon and facing off in ROAST BATTLE CANADA Season 5 matchups are:
Episode 1 – Monday, Jan. 12 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT
Battle 1 – Dino Archie vs. Faris Hytiaa Battle 2 – Jackie Pirico vs. Alistair Ogden
Episode 2 – Monday, Jan. 19 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT
Battle 1 – Jimbo vs. Lemon Battle 2 – Allie Pearse vs. Jeff McEnery
Episode 3 – Monday, Jan. 26 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT
Battle 1 – Crystal Ferrier vs. Rebecca Reeds Battle 2 – Tranna Wintour vs. Sam Sferrazza
Episode 4 – Monday, Feb. 2 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT
Battle 1 – Kyle Brownrigg vs. Anjelica Scannura Battle 2 – Andrew Packer vs. Nitish Sakhuja
Episode 5 – Monday, Feb. 9 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT
Battle 1 – Mark Little vs. Laura Cilevitz Battle 2 – Ben Sosa-Wright vs. Alistair Ogden
Episode 6 – Monday, Feb. 16 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT
Battle 1 – Tyler Morrison vs. Michelle Forrester Battle 2 – Che Durena vs Jacob Balshin
Episode 7 – Monday, Feb. 23 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT
Battle 1 – Jackie Pirico vs. Tom Henry Battle 2 – Graham Chittenden vs. Aisha Alfa
Episode 8 – Monday, March 2 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT
Battle 1 – Jon Dore vs. Rebecca Kohler Battle 2 – Kenny Robinson vs. Darren Frost
The multiple Canadian Screen Award-nominated ROAST BATTLE CANADA is produced by CTV Comedy Channel, in association with Just For Laughs. Executive Producers for Just for Laughs are Sylvain Parent-Bedard, Nick Brazao, Spencer Griffin, Marie-Claude Filteau, Russell Peters, George Reinblatt, and Trevor Boris, who also serves as showrunner.
2Ducks Media and APTN are proud to announce the launch of the sweeping docuseries Animal Nation, premiering January 8, 2026 on APTN (in English) and streaming on APTN+. This groundbreaking project, created in collaboration with Indigenous communities across Canada and the U.S., takes viewers deep into the heart of some of the continent’s most beautiful wild spaces and tells the stories of seven iconic animals, guided by the people who have co-existed and protected their shared territories for generations. From incredible animal behaviour to on-the-ground conservation efforts, each of the seven episodes highlights a keystone species: Bear, Beaver, Bison, Caribou, Eagle, Salmon, and Wolf.
Filmed over two years, the series features spectacular landscapes and wildlife cinematography while highlighting a long-overlooked missing link in wildlife storytelling — the undeniable interconnectedness with generations of Indigenous people who have lived alongside these species and in these ecosystems. This coexistence has created an extensive knowledge base, unique conservation initiatives, cultural stewardship, collaboration with Western scientists, and a synergy evident throughout the episodes, as they all work to restore vital connections between the animals, the environment, and all of us who share these often-threatened spaces.
Created by Ojibway producer Jesse Bochner and Moroccan-born producer Ari A. Cohen, and a talented team of Indigenous key creatives — writers, directors, editors, composers and acclaimed narrator Tantoo Cardinal — the series blends everything audiences love in wildlife storytelling with the depth, insight, and relationships that come from Indigenous knowledge and culture.
“I am honoured by the privilege gifted to us by the communities and the animals themselves,” says director and co-creator Jesse Bochner. “One day we’re wading through thousands of spawning salmon, the next we’re placing secret cameras to capture the genius of a beaver. Every moment reminded us how much knowledge and generosity lives in these places. It was amazing and humbling for our entire team.”
“This project changes the way you see the land, the animals, and our future,” adds producer and director of photography Ari A. Cohen. “Wildlife films often ignore Indigenous and local knowledge — and that knowledge is the key to moving forward on a better path.”
Filmed in often rugged and remote areas with privileged access granted by the communities, Animal Nation moves from the caribou ranges near Yellowknife to the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary in BC, to the salmon rivers of Labrador, the bison herds of Alberta and Montana, and the eagle territories of PEI and Sts’ailes — capturing moving connections between wildlife, culture, and people that are rarely seen on screen.
“I consider it a victory that these stories are being told,” says Tantoo Cardinal. “Growing up, I had a real relationship with the wind and the birds and the environment, so it’s kind of like in my blood, in my marrow to be able to be a part of speaking for the animals and to touch on the relationship we all have with the world that surrounds us.”
Animal Nation is produced in association with APTN and the financial participation of the Canada Media Fund, the Rogers Series Fund, the Québec Film and Television Tax Credit and the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit. French and Mohawk versions will air at a later date.
This winter, APTN and APTN Languages are delivering a lineup packed with must-watch new shows and returning fan favourites — all showcasing the depth and spirit of Indigenous storytelling. From hilarious small-town antics to emotional searches for missing people, this season of programming captures the full spectrum of human experiences.
FRESH NEW STORIES
Searchers — Documentary Series Experience real-life search and rescue missions through intimate interviews and cinematic reenactments. APTN premiere: January 7 (English)
Pitago Stop — Comedy Step into the chaotic daily lives of employees at a rest stop in a fictional Anishinaabe community. APTN premiere: January 9 (French)
Hoop Nations — Documentary Series Follow Indigenous basketball players as they showcase their talents at various tournaments. APTN premiere: January 6 (English)
BACK AND BETTER THAN EVER
Hockey Night in Canada in Cree and Inuktitut (2025-2026 season) — Sports The crew is back with six more action-packed NHL games: three in Inuktitut and three in Plains Cree. Stay tuned for the APTN and APTN Languages broadcast schedules!
Acting Good (Season 4) — Comedy APTN premiere: March 17 (English)
Northwoods Survival (Season 2) — Documentary Series APTN premiere: January 11 (English)
Taken (Season 5) — Documentary Series APTN premiere: January 7 (English) APTN Languages premiere: January 7 (Anishinaabemowin)
Ocean Warriors: Mission Ready (Season 2) — Documentary Series APTN premiere: January 8 (English) APTN Languages premiere: January 8 (Nisga’a)
Sur le terrain (Season 3) — Documentary Series APTN premiere: January 9 (French) APTN Languages premiere: January 7 (Innu)
Stream all the above programs next-day on APTN+ (formerly APTN lumi), with the exception of Hockey Night in Canada in Cree and Inuktitut. Catch these and many more this winter on APTN and APTN Languages! Visit aptntv.ca for full broadcast details.
Producers Bruce Hills Entertainment, Counterfeit Pictures, and Hemmings Films are pleased to announce that they will go into production on Stand Up For Canada Starring Rick Mercer, a new one-hour comedy special set to premiere on CBC and CBC Gem. Timing for the premiere will be confirmed at a later date.
Set to film in front of a live audience in Saint John, New Brunswick on October 17, the special will capture a night on Rick Mercer’s wildly successful coast-to-coast comedy tour, which continues through October 2025, and is presented by MRG Live and Bruce Hills Entertainment. Mercer is joined by Canadian comedians Sophie Buddle, Mayce Galoni and Julie Kim, and performed 28 shows across 20 cities, with 24 sold-out venues and more than 40,000 tickets sold.
The Stand Up For Canada Starring Rick Mercer special promises to deliver a funny, insightful and heartfelt celebration of Canada through the comedy of one of the country’s most beloved voices, as well as a new generation of rising stand-up stars. Together, Mercer, Buddle, Galoni and Kim will shine a light on the diverse perspectives, stories and humour that make Canada’s comedy scene one of the richest in the world.
Stand Up For Canada Starring Rick Mercer is produced by Bruce Hills Entertainment, Counterfeit Pictures, and Hemmings Films, in association with CBC.
For 12 seasons on The Curse of Oak Island, brothers Marty and Rick Lagina have been searching for treasure on Nova Scotia’s Oak Island. And while there have been some tantalizing finds discovered, the massive alleged treasure eludes them.
Let’s hope the stars of Deadman’s Curse aren’t still digging for gold over a decade from now. Airing Thursdays on The History Channel, Canada’s West Coast is the setting for this doozy of a docuseries. Mixing action and adventure with Indigenous storytelling, rumour and legend, Deadman’s Curse follows prospector Kru Williams, mountaineer Adam Palmer, Indigenous explorer Taylor Starr and her father, Don Froese, who have worked tirelessly to finally solve the mystery of Slumach’s lost gold mine.
In the first episode of Season 3, Williams and Palmer made a startling discovery, uncovering an old mine. And while what they unearthed wasn’t Slumach’s, it did get the quartet—and viewers—excited.
We spoke to mountaineer Adam Palmer about his ongoing quest.
Before we talk specifically about Season 3, I wanted to compliment the production company, Great Pacific Media. They have created a really compelling series full of action and adventure, along with history and Indigenous storytelling. Adam Palmer: I’m glad you said that because it is truly, we’ve become a big family and working with perfectionists because that’s what they are. I have a scattered brain of all these maps and stories and leads and clues and evidence, and none of that would make sense if I didn’t have their help to format it in a way where people could understand it. I’m really noticing that when I get approached, it’s people that are watching the show are actually, I feel like they’re involved. And it’s because for that simple reason that it’s formatted in a way where we can bring history, we can bring legend, we can bring storytelling all together and in a way that people can follow it and understand it and learn from it. So that’s been a huge part, and that’s largely due to having a production company that stands behind you and presents your research or your passion in a format where everyone can feel involved and understand it.
You definitely have to put your phone down. There’s no scrolling through TikTok or Instagram or anything, although I did have to hit pause a couple of times just to do a little bit of my own kind of research, some quick Google searches. AP: Yeah. You’re not the only one that happens to. It’s amazing. And my biggest thing was researching old newspaper articles to get pieces of the puzzle, because there’s not a lot of history that’s recorded back in those days of prospectors going, looking for this mine. And you have to consider everything. This legend takes you down a rabbit hole where you cannot turn a blind eye to anything, anyone, or any place, because it all plays an important piece of the puzzle.
In regard to the Slumach storyline, in particular with Taylor doing the research into the court case … those documents aren’t necessarily there, and even if they are there, they may be wrong when it comes to court documents versus witness statements. So it can be very convoluted and confusing. AP: It is. There’s a lot of misinformation, and with any legend, you’re going to get people who embellish stories or put their own theories in there. I’ve taken an approach where there are kind of free piles, there’s evidence and facts, and you put that in a pile, and then there’s theories. You put that in a pile, and then there is the chaos pile, that’s all the craziness that you stumble upon. Is it related? Isn’t it related? Is a lost Spanish mine related to the lost gold mine at Pitt Lake? There’s always something in there that is a missing piece of the puzzle, and you slowly put it together. Three seasons of TV is literally like 20 years of research going into this, so it gets a little crazy.
Not only that we’re being shown more and more often that the Indigenous stories tend to be the truth. AP: Oral history is so strong. I start with the oral history now because it’s a hundred percent proven every single time. I take that oral history, I listen to the elders, I listen to them speak. A hundred percent of the time I’ve found that oral history is proven correct, and I think it’s because it can’t be changed through written words. When someone tells a story and you’re listening, you’ll pick up clues in there that’ll change your life.
In the first episode of Season 3, you’ve got to shut everything down for the winter and come back in the spring. Was there a legitimate fear that people could have gone in that time that you were away and actually discovered the mine? AP: No. No. You know what? I challenge anyone to try to find that. You think that there are a lot of people out there looking, but the only thing they’re looking at is Google Earth. I would love it if more people were actually out there helping; that would help me so much because they would get through a lot of the dirty work or checking off these areas that I want to check out.
I’m part of a climbing and mountaineering community, and everyone just wants to go to the top of the peak and then back home. No one wants to walk around in circles. No one wants to climb the mountain three or four times. Everyone wants to go up and go down. So it’s one of those things where, yeah, I mean, sure, I would be lying if I said I haven’t thought about it. But then again, I’m like, you know what? Out of the 20-some plus years that I’ve been searching, I haven’t seen any more incredible search team other than ourselves that is actually putting the time and effort into looking for this.
You need critical thinking skills for research. You kind of almost need to be a history buff, a mountain climber, and a prospector all in one to kind of really get started into this legend.
In the press release it mentions unconventional theories. How much are you allowed to tease what those unconventional theories are? AP: It’s unconventional theories from unconventional people. People come out and they try to give you their theories and where they think the gold is. And a lot of times to get to the bottom of that, to really investigate that theory, you need tools, you need ways to get in there, you need ways to research it that are not necessarily the norm. This legend doesn’t present itself in a linear format.
Do you find the gold at the end of Season 3? AP: I found something that’s going to take, if people are paying attention, they’re going to wonder why I was in Utah for these last two weeks. So there are things that are getting a little crazy, and there are things that we researched in Season 1 that we kind of come back to full circle in Season 3. And if the production company is going to film another season, it’s going to show people this. It’s going to change history.
Deadman’s Curse airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. Eastern on The History Channel.
