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Mary Mammoliti experiences all things food with Canadian culinary creatives on Season 5 of the award-winning Dish with Mary on AMI-tv and AMI+

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From a media release:

Mary Mammoliti is sampling delicious treats while having fascinating chats with Canadian culinary pioneers. Accessible Media Inc. (AMI), in partnership with FRANK Digital, is thrilled to announce the Season 5 return of the award-winning Dish with Mary on AMI-tv and AMI+.

Mary Mammoliti—a home cook and culinary content creator who has low vision—knows her way around the kitchen and proves it during fun cook-alongs with renowned Canadian chefs. Each episode of Dish with Mary focuses on one chef and one dish, plus a lot of laughs, a bunch of tips, and tons to dish about!

Season 5 of Dish with Mary debuts Wednesday, February 26, at 9 p.m. Eastern on AMI-tv and can be streamed on demand for free on AMI+.

“To me cooking should be fun and finding ways to make it accessible is what motivates me,” Mary Mammoliti says. “I look forward to viewers joining me on my adventure across Canada where I connect with culinary celebrities and hear their stories.”

The Canadians Mary cooks alongside in Season 5 of Dish with Mary are Jenna Hutchinson and Ashley Kosowan, the owners of Jenna Rae Cakes; Chef Carlo Guzzi of Carlo’s Cucina; Chef Eden Hrabec of Crazyweed Kitchen; Chef Danny Beaulieu of Ånkör; Chef Phil Tees of Bluebird Wood-Fired Steakhouse; Jackie Wild and Agustin Doming, the team behind Tito Boy Restaurant; Chef Tracy Little of Sauvage; and Chef Fabrizio Rossi of Vida Cucina. The recipes featured in each episode will be made available post-broadcast at AMI.ca.

Additionally, in-depth conversations between Mary and the trailblazers of the Canadian culinary industry reveal how and why they entered this world and the passion that keeps them cooking.

The first two of eight Season 5 episodes include:

Wednesday, February 26, at 9 p.m. Eastern — “Jenna Rae Cakes”
Mary Mammoliti travels to Winnipeg to meet with twin sisters Jenna and Ashley, the owners of Jenna Rae Cakes. Together, they create showstopping cupcakes and cookie sandwiches that make their bakery stand out.

Wednesday, March 5, at 9 p.m. Eastern — “Carlo’s Cucina”
Mary heads to Winnipeg Beach to meet Chef Carlo, a multiple Le Burger Week winner. They embark on an adventure before crafting one of Carlo’s renowned burgers in the kitchen.

Dish with Mary was recently named “Best in Canada” by The Taste Awards, which celebrates the year’s best in food, fashion and lifestyle programs on television, in film, online, streaming and on radio.

About Mary Mammoliti
Mary Mammoliti is a Toronto-based food writer and cook behind the Kitchen Confession. She works as a freelance recipe curator, radio and TV personality, food blogger and amateur food photographer. She is a regular contributor to AMI’s weekday audio series Kelly & Company.

Educating and speaking about vision loss is Mary’s passion, inspiring others to find their light of happiness is what drives her.

Season 5 of Dish with Mary debuts Wednesday, February 26, at 9 p.m. Eastern on AMI-tv. Stream past episodes and seasons of Dish with Mary on AMI+.

About FRANK Digital
FRANK Digital is a Winnipeg-based video production and post-production studio. They produce award-winning commercials, corporate films and series with their talented team of editors and animators. They are one of Manitoba’s largest digital production companies, providing all equipment and expertise in-house.

About Accessible Media Inc.
AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.

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Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Refreshing new doc series Get Hooked casts off old stereotypes to highlight the healing power of fishing, March 17 on OUTtv, OUTflix and AMI+

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From a media release:

This isn’t your dad’s fishing show. A thought-provoking and barrier-breaking new six-part documentary series, Get Hooked (6×30) is an invitation to explore diverse joy in nature and redefine what it means to fish. Co-commissioned by OUTtv and Accessible Media Inc. (AMI), the series is created by Heidi Lynch (showrunner of Avocado Toast the series and Series Mania “Canada’s Producers to Watch” 2024) and Leah Vlemmiks (“Tesfay” music video by Witch Prophet), directed by Vlemmiks, and produced by Lynch through Bone Vault Inc.

Get Hooked premieres Monday, March 17 on AMI+ (Canada), OUTtv.com (Canada, USA, Australia, New Zealand), and OUTflix.com (UK, Ireland, and Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland via Allente). In Canada, viewers can also catch the series weekly on both AMI-tv and OUTtv broadcast channels, beginning Monday, March 24 at 9 p.m. ET.

“For too long, the outdoors – and fishing in particular – has only been marketed to one specific group of human beings,” said Lynch. “We want to showcase a different side of the fishing world – one that welcomes diversity, queerness, and the power of simply being present in nature for the good of our collective mental health. Get Hooked is funny, heartfelt, and deeply personal, and we hope it inspires people to find their own healing connection to the natural world.”

Get Hooked follows a Canadian angling guide per episode sharing their use of fishing as a lifeline for mental well-being with a group of queer, comedic outsiders. Set against the backdrop of breathtaking Ontario landscapes, each episode is more than just a fishing story – it’s a celebration of resilience, identity, and the healing power of nature. But as these anglers find solace on the water, the series asks a crucial question: why isn’t this access available to everyone?

“At its heart, Get Hooked is about how a shared passion can be a great connector – to nature, to each other, to ourselves,” added Lynch. “This series challenges outdated ideas of who belongs in outdoor spaces and highlights the joy, humour, and healing that come from casting a line in good company. In the divisive place we currently find ourselves, connection is a breath of fresh air. Get Hooked will always include great men as part of the story, but told through a different gaze than you normally see in fishing documentaries and shows.”

Bringing a unique and diverse mix of lived experiences, perspectives, and personalities, the captivating cast of anglers featured in the series are Demiesha Dennis (founder/director of Brown Girl Outdoor World), Dave Furgoch (organizer for the Blind Anglers International Tournament), Lisa Goodier (guide at the Ottawa River Musky Factory), Rosie Jones (comedian/actor/author), Rick Klatt (The Last Cull, participant in the Blind Anglers International Tournament), Frank Leaney (program coordinator and addictions counsellor at the Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health), Christine Luckasavitch (owner/executive consultant of Waaseyaa Consulting), Faye Marsay (actor, Game of Thrones, Andor), Emily O’Brien (founder of ComeBack Snacks), SJ Todd (founder/creative director of SJT Studio), Kenneth Tse (science teacher and fishing guide), Emma Tweddle (co-owner of Brain Box Studios), and Vik Watson (co-owner/graphic designer of Brain Box Studios).

Additionally, the Get Hooked companion podcast (6×20) for OUTtv and AMI launches on April 17, exploring how we, as society, can make the mental health benefits of the outdoors more accessible to the LGBTQ+, disability, and BIPOC communities. In each episode, series creator Heidi Lynch sits down with notable game changers and community creators about fishing, nature, hunting, or travel. Guests include Faye Marsay, actor Verada Sethu (Andor, Doctor Who), singer-songwriter Christa Couture (Postcards From), Amie Battams (Fishing Whilst Gay), and Nicole Moore (Shooting Girl With An Afro). Available wherever you get your podcasts.

Get Hooked was developed with the support of the Telus Fund, Bell Fund, Ontario Creates, AMI, OUTtv, Destination Canada, and Ottawa Tourism, with special thanks to the Fairmont Chateau Laurier and Algonquin Outfitters.

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Featured, Industry News, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Blue Ant Media greenlights five new originals and four renewals for 2025

From a media release:

International production studio, rights business and channel operator, Blue Ant Media, announced today from Prime Time a robust originals slate consisting of five new greenlights and four renewals. The slate spans mystery, paranormal, nature, wildlife and lifestyle genres. Overseen by Sam Linton, VP, Production and Development, Global Media, the slate will roll out on the company’s Canadian specialty TV channels, T+E and Cottage Life, in 2025, followed by its global free streaming channels—HauntTV, Homeful, Love Pets, and Declassified—at a later date. Blue Ant Studios will oversee global pre-sales and licensing opportunities for all titles in the slate.

The latest slate includes Ghost Lands (w/t, image above), a chilling, hour-long documentary that presents Indigenous ghost stories rooted in various Indigenous cultures and mythology. Created, written and produced by Winnipeg-based Métis producer Jessica Landry, the project was developed and greenlit as a direct result of Blue Ant Media’s RFP Initiative, in partnership with imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, the Reelworld Film Festival and Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. The process called for pitches focused on paranormal series from Indigenous and racialized producers for Blue Ant’s linear channel T+E and its FAST channel, HauntTV.

Additional greenlights include You Can’t Deny It, a compelling new documentary series exploring the power of corroboration; Vet Detective, which spotlights Vancouver-based veterinarian Dr. Lauren Adelman’s pioneering work in veterinary medicine; Engineering from Above, a spin-off of the Mysteries from Above franchise exploring awe-inspiring engineering marvels; and Birthplace of Hallowe’en (w/t), a one-hour documentary filmed in Ireland with T+E’s fearless female trio—Kelly Ireland, Corine Carey and Leanne Sallenback— paranormal investigators hailing from British Columbia, known for History’s Most Haunted and Haunted Gold Rush.

Following their ratings performances and global appeal, Blue Ant has ordered a fourth season of the hit franchise Mysteries from Above, as well as second seasons of My Haunted Hometown, Holmes on Homes: Building a Legacy and Wild Rose Vets. My Haunted Hometown ranked in the top 5 with total viewers and A18+ in its first run on T+E, with repeats continuing to perform in the top 10 with A25-54 and women 25-54. Holmes on Homes: Building a Legacy also ranked in the top 5 with all the key demos and total viewers in its first run on Cottage Life and remains in the top 10 for total viewers, A18+, and women 25-54 in its second run. Finally, all three seasons of Mysteries from Above ranked as top programs with key demos and total viewers A18+ and A25-54 on Cottage Life. Wild Rose Vets, Season 1 will premiere this spring on Cottage Life.

New Greenlights:

Ghost Lands (w/t) (1 x60)
Producer: Jessica Landry
World broadcast premiere scheduled for fall 2025 on T+E during the channel’s free preview event, followed by HauntTV
Ghost Lands is a gripping, hour-long documentary that delves deep into true Indigenous ghost stories, passed down through generations and told by those with a profound connection to the spirit world. Rooted in various Indigenous cultures and led by an Indigenous cast and crew, the documentary brings these timeless tales to the forefront. Ghost Lands offers a hauntingly fresh perspective in the paranormal documentary space, leaving audiences both terrified and captivated.

Birthplace of Hallowe’en (w/t) (1 x60)
Producer: Small Army Entertainment
World broadcast premiere scheduled for fall 2025 on T+E during the channel’s free preview event, followed by HauntTV
Audiences will join fearless paranormal investigators from British Columbia—Corine, Leanne and Kelly (History’s Most Haunted, Haunted Gold Rush)—for a Hallowe’en special on T+E, as they journey through Ireland’s most haunted locations to uncover the dark and twisted stories that have haunted the country for centuries. From ancient druidic sites to blood-soaked castles, Ireland’s rich history of murder, torture, and ghostly encounters provides a backdrop for some of the world’s most terrifying hauntings.

You Can’t Deny It (6×60’)
Producer: Blue Ant Studios
World broadcast premiere scheduled for fall 2025 on T+E during the channel’s free preview event, followed by HauntTV
A compelling, new documentary series explores the power of corroboration. Each episode features multiple survivors who have experienced life altering paranormal encounters at the same location. Each has come face to face with the terrifying entities that dwell within. One by one, they return to these locations to tell their stories – verifying the harrowing details, until they come together in the end to share the undeniable similarities of their experiences. Finally, there is tangible affirmation that they’re not alone.

Vet Detective (6×60)
Producer: Big Time Decent
World broadcast premiere scheduled for spring 2025 on Cottage Life during the channel’s nationwide free preview event in Canada, followed by Love Pets
A gripping series spotlighting Dr. Lauren Adelman’s pioneering work on veterinary medicine’s most puzzling cases. Set in Vancouver, each episode follows desperate pet owners turning to Dr. Adelman for answers about their sick pets after months of uncertainty. With time ticking and stakes high, Dr. Adelman and her internal medicine team methodically reevaluate every detail, conduct tests, and explore new theories hoping to uncover overlooked clues. Each pet investigation brings unexpected twists and turns until Dr. Adelman and her team crack the case and bring a healthy pet back to their loving owner.

Engineering from Above (8×60’)
Producer: Blue Ant Studios
World broadcast premiere scheduled for summer 2025 on Cottage Life, followed by Declassified
Engineering from Above, a spin-off of the popular Mysteries from Above franchise, explores awe-inspiring engineering marvels across the globe. The visually striking series spotlights iconic modern landmarks, such as Beijing’s ‘Bird’s Nest’ National Stadium, the Burj Khalifa and the Millau Viaduct. Using state-of-the-art technology, the show offers fresh perspectives and uncovers hidden secrets through the use of dynamic graphics. Each episode focuses on four marvels connected by a compelling theme, guided by authoritative experts in engineering, history, and science.

Returning Unscripted Titles:

Holmes on Homes: Building a Legacy, Season 2 (8×60’)
Producer: The Holmes Group
World broadcast premiere scheduled for fall 2025 on Cottage Life, followed by Homeful
The series sees construction pioneer Mike Holmes return to his foundational “make it right” roots and mentor his kids, Michael and Sherry, to carry on his legacy of helping deserving homeowners. A reboot of the classic Holmes on Homes series, the show delves deeper into the Holmes family dynamic, with cameras following the trio as they work side-by-side to create life-changing renovations for deserving homeowners, while also capturing heartfelt behind-the-scenes family moments with Mike and his kids.

Mysteries from Above, Season 4 (8×60’)
Producer: Blue Ant Studios
World broadcast premiere scheduled for spring 2025 on Cottage Life during the channel’s nationwide free preview event in Canada
The hit franchise series takes to the skies to unlock Earth’s greatest mysteries and dramatically change how we see the world. From the vantage points of drones, satellites and aerial photography, the series explores unique buildings and structures — both natural and artificial, curious creatures and lost ancient civilizations, revealing fascinating insights and never-before-seen footage to the viewers.

My Haunted Hometown, Season 2 (8×60’)
Producer: Blue Ant Studios
World broadcast premiere: Fall 2025 on T+E, followed by HauntTV
My Haunted Hometown takes viewers inside the real-life haunted homes of North American residents. These ordinary people, who have laid down roots in their communities, now feel trapped and tormented by vengeful spirits. Room by room, the residents guide viewers through their homes, recounting the eerie paranormal experiences that have shattered their sense of safety. With harrowing testimonies and unsettling footage, the series reveals the frightening supernatural activity plaguing these small towns and their inhabitants.

Wild Rose Vets, Season 2 (13×30′)
Producer: Wapanatahk Media in partnership with Great Pacific Media
A Blue Ant Media and APTN Co-production
Scheduled to premiere in fall 2025 on Cottage Life
A heartwarming and culturally-unique docuseries following the behind-the-scenes adventures of three Indigenous veterinarians in the prairies as they rescue and rehabilitate a wide range of household pets and exotic wildlife. The daily experiences of these young vets in very different urban clinics could not be more varied but they are each driven and connected by their love of animals. The series will also broadcast and stream on APTN, APTN Languages and APTN lumi in Canada (date TBC).

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Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Get ready to laugh again! AMI’s second All Access Comedy special debuts February 7 on AMI-tv and AMI+

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From a media release:

After a successful first All Access Comedy, Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) and Pilot Light Productions, in association with Ha!ifax ComedyFest, are excited to announce the second special—hosted by international comic superstar D.J. Demers—debuts Friday, February 7, at 9 p.m. Eastern on AMI-tv and AMI+.

All Access Comedy is a stand-up special like no other, with comedians from the disability community coming together to celebrate their unique outlook on life for a packed audience of all abilities.

What is it like to use hearing aids? What are the challenges associated with cerebral palsy? What is it like to navigate the world when you are blind? What is it like to process life on the Autism Spectrum? All Access Comedy answers these questions and many more. The performances are observational, insightful and laugh-out-loud funny.

All Access Comedy is hosted by JUNO-nominated stand-up comedy veteran D.J. Demers (The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Conan), who starred in his own AMI/CBC series One More Time, currently available on AMI+, in 2024. When he’s not busy with TV projects, Demers tours extensively on the comedy club circuit in both Canada and the U.S.

All Access Comedy features performances by Ontario comic and motivational speaker Michael McCreary, who started performing at 12 years of age, channeling his experiences on the Autism Spectrum into comedy gold; Toronto-based comedian Joze Piranian, originally from Lebanon, who jokes that as a child, his speech impediment obliged him to stutter in four different languages; Toronto writer and performer Dan Barra-Berger, who knows what it’s like to navigate Canada’s biggest city using a white cane; and New York City-based American comedian Tina Friml, who started her career at small-town comedy clubs in Vermont and now tours extensively, including appearing on network late-night shows like The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

All Access Comedy was recorded in front of a live audience at the Spatz Theatre in Halifax as part of the 2024 Ha!ifax ComedyFest. Arrangements were made to meet the needs of the diverse audience in attendance. Rows of seats were removed to create prime viewing spots for wheelchair users. A simultaneous subtitling system (CART) was provided on-site to assist Deaf and/or hard of hearing audience members. To accommodate American Sign Language users, a live ASL interpreter was on stage. The live production was overseen by a professional Accessibility Coordinator at both the planning and execution stages.

All Access Comedy debuts Friday, February 7, at 9 p.m. Eastern on AMI-tv and AMI+.

Stream the first All Access Comedy special anytime, for free, on AMI+.

All Access Comedy is produced by Halifax-based Pilot Light Productions.

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Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Preview: HGTV Canada’s Hoarder House Flippers returns for more renovations and re-sells

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The pandemic gave everyone the unique opportunity to re-access the contents of their homes, condos and apartments. Where I live, in western Quebec, we were able to pare down our stuff by joining a social media group designed to offer gently used items to those interested for free. The idea? To foster community while saving things from the landfill.

Some folks look to cash in when getting rid of clutter, and that’s explored to the nth degree in Hoarder House Flippers.

Returning for Season 2 this Wednesday on HGTV Canada, house flippers from across the country, buy, clear out and overhaul houses that, in some cases, are packed to the rafters with the previous owners’ things.

In the first episode, siblings Heather and Nathan head to Portage la Prairie to assess the trash and treasure lurking in their latest flip. They are greeted with rooms that are filled with stuff. Picture a packed storage locker… in each room. Overwhelmed by glassware, an overgrown fish tank, clothes and creepy dolls, the siblings call on friends to help fill dumpsters and sell small items, with the profit returning to the community. (The siblings acquired the property from relatives who had encountered unexpected challenges with the property, including a hoarding situation.)

Then it’s on to gutting, renovating and reselling. With the rooms emptied, the true potential of Heather and Nathan’s purchase and big issues are revealed. A complete rewiring of the home could eat into their profits big-time and delay their planned two-month reno schedule. The end results? Simply stunning.

I watch a lot of renovation series on HGTV Canada, and what sets Hoarder House Flippers apart for me is how relatable—in the first episode anyway—Heather and Nathan are. Funny, capable and honest, I feel like I could grab a drill, hammer or pry bar, and help without feeling embarrassed or out of place.

This second season includes episodes featuring the Mbaye brothers, more of Heather and Nathan and new flippers Stephanie and Deidre.

Hoarder House Flippers airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HGTV Canada.

Image courtesy of Corus Media.

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