From a media release:
YTV Announces Carlos Bustamante as the New Host of The Next Star
- Six-city audition search begins Saturday, April 20 in Montreal
Today Tricon Films and Television and Corus Entertainment’s YTV announced that Canadian television personality Carlos Bustamante (YTV’s The Zone, Big Fun Movies) is taking on the role as host of The Next Star for the show’s sixth season set to air in July 2013. Carlos will be joining the cross-Canada audition tour with returning judges Keshia Chanté, Tara Oram, and Mark Spicoluk, to usher The Next Star’s new hopefuls from their first audition to finale.
As a long-time host of YTV’s The Zone, Big Fun Movies and the celebrity interview specials One 2 One, Carlos has interviewed A-list celebrities including One Direction, Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber. No stranger to the spotlight, Carlos is also a talented dancer and has trained and performed across North America since his professional career began at age eight. Carlos always makes the time to give back to the community and has been found working alongside Kids Help Phone, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada, Ontario Special Olympics, The Hospital for Sick Children and UNITY charity.
As with previous seasons, The Next Star auditions will be open to kids aged 15 and under and will focus on finding Canada’s next singing sensation. Open casting calls will be held in the following cities on these dates:
Saturday, April 20
Palais des congres de Montreal
1001 Place Jean Paul Riopelle, Montreal, QC H2Z 1M2
Wednesday, April 24
WTCC Halifax
1800 Argyle St., Halifax, NS B3J 3N8
Wednesday, May 8
MacEwan Conference & Event Centre
402 Collegiate Blvd NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4
Saturday, May 11
Vancouver Convention Centre
1055 Canada Pl, Vancouver, BC V5T 4V5
Tuesday, May 14
Winnipeg Convention Centre
375 York Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3C 3J3
Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19
Toronto Metro Convention Centre
255 Front St. W, Toronto, ON M5V 2W6
Additional information about open casting call locations will be announced Monday, March 25 on www.nextstar.ytv.com and via the show’s new cross-platform digital destination, Next Star Nation.
The Next Star’s sixth season will premiere July 2013 on YTV and will follow the young finalists on their once-in-a-lifetime journey as they master their sound, style and stage presence. R&B star Keshia Chanté, Canada’s country sweetheart Tara Oram, and music biz impresario Mark Spicoluk, will return to preside over the judges’ table, ready to guide the finalists to find their best sound, and give the performances of a lifetime.
