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Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Panic Button begins production for Space

From a media release:

SPACE Begins Production on Groundbreaking Original Reality Series, PANIC BUTTON

  • From Canadian-based 11 Television, PANIC BUTTON is set to premiere on SPACE in 2013

SPACE and 11 Television Canada announced today that production is underway on the new groundbreaking original reality series, PANIC BUTTON. The innovative new format developed by Kevin Healey (DESTINATION FEAR, BETTY WHITE’S OFF THEIR ROCKERS, SCARE TACTICS) and Jonathan Dueck (DESTINATION FEAR, PAWNATHON) follows real people as they face their innermost fears. Filming runs until Oct. 19 in Toronto, with 10 episodes of the one-hour reality series set to air in 2013 on SPACE.

PANIC BUTTON is a high-impact, bone-chilling, reality series where a group of select participants become brave subjects in an elaborate and daunting maze. Each week, six people are confronted by the thing that terrifies them most, including: confinement, fear of the unknown, germs, snakes, spiders, or swarming. The Panic Button maze presents them with four ever-escalating and ever-changing levels of fear. Only the most courageous will get to the end without hitting their panic button.

“The PANIC BUTTON arena is a multi-phased, ever-changing labyrinth of fear that is customized for each person,” said series Co-Creator and Executive Producer Kevin Healey. “PANIC BUTTON is different from every other reality show because it’s not a contest against other people – subjects are playing only against themselves.”

“PANIC BUTTON is both gripping and frightening,” said Corrie Coe, Senior Vice-President, Independent Production, Bell Media. “As the participants work their way through increasingly scary and eerie situations, the audience experiences the fear and bravery of the participants through their eyes.”

PANIC BUTTON is produced by 11 Television Canada in association with Bell Media. Entertainment One (eOne) is selling the series in all media as well as format rights. Directed by Leo Scherman (SCREWED OVER), editing by Aren Hansen (CANADA’S GOT TALENT, SCARE TACTICS), and production design by Andy Barry, Joel Klein (FEAR FACTOR) serves as a creative consultant, and Dr. Steven J. Stein, Ph.D, provides consultation. Jonathan Dueck is Producer. Kevin Healey and Jesse Fawcett are Executive Producers. Robin Johnston is Director, Independent Production, Factual and Reality, Bell Media. Corrie Coe is Senior Vice-President, Independent Production, Bell Media. Catherine MacLeod is Vice-President, Specialty Channels, Bell Media. Rick Brace is President, Specialty Channels and CTV Production. Phil King is President, CTV Programming and Sports.

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Murdoch Mysteries, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

New tonight: Over The Rainbow, Who Do You Think You Are, Murdoch Mysteries

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Over the Rainbow, CBC – “Results #3”
The bottom two competitors are announced and will face off to determine who will be eliminated from the show by the judges.

Who Do You Think You Are?, CBC – “Measha Brueggergosman”
Opera star Measha Brueggergosman takes a huge leap back in time to uncover her African origins by using DNA testing.

Murdoch Mysteries, CBC – “Evil Eye of Egypt”
When Detective Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) investigates a series of deaths linked to an exhibition of Egyptian antiquities, Constable Crabtree (Jonny Harris) is convinced a mummy’s curse is to blame.

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Heartland, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

New tonight: Heartland, Over The Rainbow, Call Me Fitz

Heartland, CBC – “Keeping Up Appearances”
Tim hopes for a big commission when he helps a wealthy weekend cowboy look for his dream ranch, while Amy’s stuck teaching his trophy wife how to ride.

Over the Rainbow, CBC – “Performance #3”
The remaining Dorothys compete, singing a mixture of Broadway and pop songs for a chance to star as Dorothy in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new production of The Wizard of Oz, to be staged at the Ed Mirvish Theatre in Toronto.

Call Me Fitz, HBO Canada – “The Virgin Homo-Cide”
No episode description available.

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Haven, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

New tonight: Haven, Marketplace, The Fifth Estate

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Haven, Showcase – Season premiere
The scary mysteries and odd eccentricities of this small coastal town will unfold when Haven returns for its third season Friday, September 28 at 9 p.m. ET exclusively on Showcase. In the season 3 premiere, Haven picks up immediately following the events of the gripping season two finale with Audrey (Emily Rose) having been brutally kidnapped; Nathan (Lucas Bryant) warned against pursuing a romantic relationship with Audrey; and Duke (Eric Balfour) seemingly engaged in a fight to the death with Nathan after he discovers his family lineage is to kill Haven citizens with Troubles. Haven, based on the novella The Colorado Kid from renowned author Stephen King, follows former FBI agent Audrey Parker, who becomes a cop in the small town of Haven, Maine, and soon discovers the town’s many secrets, which also hold the key to unlocking the mysteries of her lost past. This season’s guest stars include Iain Glen (Game of Thrones, Downton Abbey), Bree Williamson (Gossip Girl, One Life to Live), Laura Vandervoort (Smallville, White Collar), Edge (WWE Superstar), Dorian Missick (Southland, The Cape), Kate Kelton (Harold and Kumar, American Psycho 2), Nolan North (Uncharted video game series, Pretty Little Liars) and Claudia Black (Uncharted video game series, Farscape).

Marketplace, CBC – “Fighting For Fido”
Thousands of dogs are sick or dying across North America and it’s been going on for years. No one can say what, exactly, made the dogs sick, but owners say their dogs got sick after they were fed a popular chicken jerky treat. MARKETPLACE is on the trail of this mysterious illness and putting these treats to the test: Fighting for Fido airs Friday, Sept. 28 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) on CBC-TV. Are big companies putting profits before pets? In this new MARKETPLACE investigation, Tom Harrington looks into the unregulated business of pet food—a business worth 50 billion dollars a year—and uncovers some disturbing details that Canadian pet owners need to know. Warnings and advisories from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, along with the American Veterinary Association, and the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association warn consumers and vets about the treats, but so far, Canadian government regulators remain silent, and there have been no recalls on either side of the border. With some of the biggest pet food companies marketing these made-in-China treats, who fights for Fido when things go wrong? MARKETPLACE is Canada’s consumer watchdog, and is taking some hard evidence to the lab, hoping to crack the case.

The Fifth Estate, CBC – “Runaway Fighter”
It could yet prove to be the most expensive defense purchase in Canadian history–$25 billion and counting. The military promises it’s the best fighter jet available, but some critics are saying it’s a turkey hatched from a bad idea: a do-it-all plane that might not do anything well-at-all. Was Canada pressured to buy the F-35 fighter jet? Will the jet ever deliver on its promise of being the top gun in the sky? Did the government cover up the true costs to win an election? With secret documents and exclusive interviews with Air Force insiders, Gillian Findlay pieces together the troubling story of the F-35. From Lockheed Martin’s first prototype and bungled development process to Canada’s decision to buy the fighter jet without an open competition, Runaway Fighter raises serious questions about a procurement system seemingly run amok and a jetfighter critics say will never live up to its spin.

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Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Andrea Martin to guest star on Over The Rainbow

From a media release:

QUEEN OF COMEDY, ANDREA MARTIN TO BE GUEST ON CBC’S OVER THE RAINBOW THIS WEEK

Legendary Emmy® and Tony Award winning comedian, Andrea Martin, will appear as a special guest on CBC’s OVER THE RAINBOW this week. Viewers can see the eight remaining Dorothys perform live on Sunday, September 30 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT), followed by Monday night’s results show on October 1 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT).

Martin will share her unique brand of wit and her experience in musical comedy as she works with the contestants to stage their group performance of the Broadway classic, “Anything You Can Do,” from Annie Get Your Gun. Each contestant will be vying for the chance to play Dorothy in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new stage adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, opening this December at the Ed Mirvish Theatre, Toronto, ON.

“There is nothing more rewarding than seeing a young performer take risks, trust and grow before your very eyes. I’m honored to have the opportunity to “get in the ring” with these young girls and pass on my experience in musical comedy,” says Martin.

A beloved veteran of stage, screen (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) and television, Andrea Martin is best known for her time in Toronto’s Second City improv comedy troupe and the critically-acclaimed SCTV. Martin most recently appeared as Juliette, opposite Geoffrey Rush and Susan Sarandon, in the Broadway production of Exit the King. For her performance as Juliette, Martin received both Drama Desk and Outer Critics Award nominations. Martin is the recipient of four ACTRA awards, two Emmys, a Tony award, two Gemini nominations and a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame. For Martin’s work in the recent Toronto production of Love, Loss and What I Wore, as well as her one woman show, Final Days! Everything Must Go!!, she received Broadwayworld.com’s 2010 best actress and best theatrical event awards. Martin will be performing “Final Days! Everything Must Go!!” at 55 Below in New York City on October 9th, 10th & 11th. She will also soon start rehearsals for the revival of Pippin on Broadway.

OVER THE RAINBOW broadcasts live one-hour performance shows at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) each Sunday, where the Dorothys will perform a variety of Broadway, standards and pop numbers in front of a live studio audience. Then on the weekly half-hour results shows airing on Mondays at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) the bottom two Dorothys, as determined by a public vote, will go head-to-head in a live sing-off. Judges Arlene Phillips, the famed UK TV judge, dance choreographer and director, Louise Pitre, Canada’s first lady of musical theatre, and one of Canada’s most popular leading men, Thom Allison, will then determine who will be sent home. Canadians can cast their votes using the ground-breaking, interactive OVER THE RAINBOW app, through the Over the Rainbow Website or via telephone.

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