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TV,eh? What's up in Canadian television
Battle of the Blades

Sixteen Canadian athletes hit the ice on Battle of the Blades

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From a media release:

With socially distanced training underway, CBC today announced the elite 16  skaters making up the eight pairs for the upcoming new season of the hit live-competition series BATTLE OF THE BLADES (Season 6, 1×120, 6×60), featuring NHL, Olympic and professional hockey players who will perform on ice with World and Olympic figure skating partners in the hopes of winning the Season 6 championship, and a $100,000 donation to the charity of their choice. This is the first time in the series’ history that three female hockey players, and three male figure skaters, have been part of the competition. Produced by Insight Productions, BATTLE OF THE BLADES launches its new season with a special two-hour premiere on Thursday, October 15 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) on CBC and CBC Gem.

The Season 6 pairings are: 

  • Violetta Afanasieva and Anthony Stewart

  • Meghan Agosta and Andrew Poje

  • Jennifer Botterill and Eric Radford

  • Jessica Campbell and Asher Hill

  • Meagan Duhamel and Wojtek Wolski

  • Carlotta Edwards and Kris Versteeg

  • Vanessa James and Akim Aliu

  • Kaitlyn Weaver and Bryan Bickell

Also announced today is the return of Hockey Night in Canada’s Ron MacLean as host for Season 6, alongside a judging panel featuring beloved Olympic gold medallist in ice dance Scott Moir; multi-Olympic medallist in women’s ice hockey, and Season 5 runner-up, Natalie Spooner; and professional skater and choreographer Elladj Baldé. Four-time Canadian and four-time World champion figure skater Kurt Browning returns to the series as the Elite Battle Expert, guiding a weekly masterclass and throwdown challenges designed to test the hockey players as they prepare to compete.

Episode tapings for the new season will all take place at the CAA Centre in Brampton, Ontario, featuring a virtual audience. To generate excitement for the skaters on the ice and viewers at home, video screens in the arena will feature Canadians across the country watching and reacting to the live performances from their homes and communities. Fans interested in being part of the audience through a virtual video conference are encouraged to visit cbc.ca/battleoftheblades for more information.

The eight pairs stepping onto the ice and entering the competition on October 15 are:

Violetta Afanasieva and Anthony Stewart
A World Extreme pairs champion and four-time BATTLE OF THE BLADES fan favourite, Russian-born Canadian Afanasieva will perform with LaSalle, Quebec-born Stewart, a former NHL player for the Florida Panthers. Afanasieva and Stewart will be competing on behalf of Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities – a national charity dedicated to helping kids overcome financial and accessibility barriers to sport and recreation in an effort to provide inclusive play for kids of all abilities.

Meghan Agosta and Andrew Poje 
A four-time Olympic medallist, including three gold and one silver medal in women’s ice hockey, Windsor, Ontario-born Agosta will perform with Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario-born Poje, a three-time World Ice Dance medallist, three-time Canadian Ice Dance champion, and two-time Olympian with partner Weaver, and Season 5 runner-up and dynamic duo with partner Spooner. Agosta and Poje are competing on behalf of the BC Children’s Hospital, a leader in general and specialized pediatric services, and the province’s foremost teaching and research facility for child health.

Jennifer Botterill and Eric Radford
A four-time Olympic medallist, including three gold and one silver medal in women’s ice hockey, Ottawa, Ontario-born Botterill will perform with Winnipeg, Manitoba-born Radford, a two-time World pairs champion, Olympic team gold and Olympic bronze medallist with partner Duhamel. Botterill and Radford will be competing on behalf of The Canadian Cancer Society, a national, community-based organization of staff and volunteers whose mission is the eradication of cancer and the enhancement of the quality of life of people living with cancer.

Jessica Campbell and Asher Hill 
A former Canadian women’s ice hockey player for the Calgary Inferno of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League, Moosomin, Saskatchewan-born Campbell will perform with Scarborough, Ontario-born Hill, a Canadian ice dancer and choreographer who also co-hosts CBC Sports’ YouTube series That Figure Skating Show with Dylan Moscovitch. Campbell will be competing on behalf of Do It For Daron, which supports education, awareness, and research initiatives at The Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health that encourage young people to talk openly about mental illness and to ask for help when needed, while Hill will be supporting the Black Legal Action Centre, a non-profit community legal clinic that provides free legal services for low or no income Black residents of Ontario.

Meagan Duhamel and Wojtek Wolski 
A two-time World pairs champion, Olympic team gold and Olympic bronze medallist with partner Radford, Sudbury, Ontario-born Duhamel will perform with Polish-born Canadian Wolski, an Olympic bronze medallist in ice hockey and former NHLer with the Colorado Avalanche. Duhamel will be competing on behalf of the Sandra Schmirler Foundation, whose mission is to raise funds for hospital Newborn Intensive Care Units to purchase life-saving equipment for premature and critically ill newborns, and provide scholarships to junior curlers, while Wolski will be supporting The Hospital for Sick Children’s Patient Amenities Fund, a source of assistance for families who have limited financial resources and whose child is being cared for by SickKids.

Carlotta Edwards and Kris Versteeg
Professional skater and Dancing on Ice competitor Edwards, who grew up in Queen Charlotte on Haida Gwaii in British Columbia, will perform with Lethbridge, Alberta-born Versteeg, a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Chicago Blackhawks, and former Toronto Maple Leaf and Calgary Flame. Edwards and Versteeg will be competing on behalf of Opokaa’sin Early Intervention Society, nurturing and supporting the strengths and resilience of Indigenous families, children, and youth.

Vanessa James and Akim Aliu
A six-time French pairs champion, 2018 Grand Prix Final champion and 2019 European champion, Toronto, Ontario-born James will perform with Nigerian-born Canadian Aliu, an NHL player formerly with the Calgary Flames. James and Aliu will be competing on behalf of The Time To Dream Foundation, which aims to make youth sports, including the game of hockey, more diverse, inclusive, affordable and accessible to all, regardless of race, gender and socioeconomic background.

Kaitlyn Weaver and Bryan Bickell 
A three-time World ice dance medallist, three-time Canadian ice dance champion, two-time Olympian with Poje, and Season 5 winner with partner Sheldon Kennedy, Houston, Texas-born Weaver will perform with Bowmanville, Ontario-born Bickell, a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Chicago Blackhawks who competed in the NHL despite a multiple sclerosis diagnosis in 2016. Weaver and Bickell will be competing on behalf of The Bickell Foundation in support of the MS Society of Canada, providing services to people with multiple sclerosis and their families, and funding research to find the cause and cure for this disease.

The Season 6 host is Ron MacLean, a Canadian icon and multiple award-winning sports broadcaster for three decades, known for his roles on Hockey Night in Canada and Rogers Hometown Hockey. He is a two-time George Gross Award recipient, honouring excellence in sports broadcasting, and was inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2015, alongside Don Cherry. MacLean has been part of the BATTLE OF THE BLADES family since the beginning and brings his extensive knowledge of hockey and figure skating to the role of host once again, in addition to his comedic charm and ease of refereeing the pairs’ and judges’ comments.

Returning to the series for the sixth time, in the new role of Elite Battle Expert, is iconic figure skater Kurt Browning. Considered one of the greatest of all time, Browning was recently honoured with the first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award by the International Figure Skating Union. Browning has been inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame, and was the first to land a quad jump in competition. He has contributed to CBC’s coverage of the Olympic Winter Games and World Figure Skating Championships as an analyst, and choreographed programs for dozens of skating stars, in addition to touring with Stars on Ice.

The Season 6 judges, returning each week, are: 

Scott Moir
A two-time Olympic gold medallist, Olympic silver medallist and two-time Olympic team medallist, Moir and his partner, Tessa Virtue, are the most decorated ice dancers in Olympic history. They are also three-time World champions and eight-time Canadian champions. Moir joined BATTLE OF THE BLADES last season to guest judge and audiences can look forward to his expertise and thoughtful comments throughout this season.

Natalie Spooner
A World champion, Olympic gold and silver medallist, Spooner is the unforgettable BATTLE OF THE BLADES Season 5 runner-up with Poje. She knows the journey, and exactly what the players feel in the moment when their music starts. In her role as judge this season, Spooner will share her enthusiasm for the series and a hockey player’s point of view.

Elladj Baldé
One of the most sought-after professional skaters in the world today, Junior Canadian champion and international competitor Elladj Baldé has risen to international status through hardship and with determination. Despite a competitive career that was halted by multiple concussions, Baldé has never stopped honing his skill and artistry. With his natural on-ice charisma, he knows what it takes to truly command an audience.

A CBC original series, BATTLE OF THE BLADES is produced by Insight Productions. The series is executive produced by Insight’s John Brunton, Lindsay Cox, Erin Brock, and Mark Lysakowski and is co-created and executive produced by Olympian and World & Canadian Figure Skating Hall of Famer Sandra Bezic.

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Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Wall of Chefs’ Noah Cappe sounds off on the new season

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I’ve typed these very words before on this website: a reality TV show host can make or break a series. Luckily for Food Network Canada, they’ve got the right one in Noah Cappe. In addition to guiding viewers through outrageous vittles on Carnival Eats, Cappe is the man who keeps things moving on Wall of Chefs.

Broadcast Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Food Network Canada, Wall of Chefs truly is ab ingenious concoction. Each week, a quartet of home cooks from across the country enter a gleaming kitchen set to compete against one another in a trio of tests: creating a crowd-pleaser, a chef’s fridge challenge and a restaurant-worthy dish. The judges? Just 12 of Canada’s top celebrity chefs. It’s a tall order, but highly entertaining.

“I remember the moment I was pitched the concept,” Cappe says on the line from his Toronto home. “I still view myself as a viewer rather than a celebrity on Food Network Canada. I remember saying, ‘I would watch that show.’ Real people putting their food in front of some of the biggest chefs in the country? That alone is such a fun concept.” Throwing in the $10,000 weekly prize, challenges and a rotating wall of chefs just added to the allure.

Like Corus’ other property, HGTV Canada, Food Network has assembled a whos-who of on-screen talent that has become the face of the channel. As with Bryan Baeumler, Scott McGillivray and Sarah Richardson on HGTV, Mark McEwan, Lynn Crawford, Christine Cushing and Rob Feenie have become household names thanks to their culinary prowess and series on Food. Names that are quickly becoming known to Food fans because of Wall of Chefs are Chef Hugh Acheson and Chef Todd Perrin, the latter of whom deserves his own show.

“During my travels east, I had eaten at Mallard Cottage but didn’t know Chef Perrin at the time,” Cappe says. “My goodness. Chef Perrin is among a handful of chefs the country is going to see for the first time and fall in love with. Every time Todd Perrin said something my jaw was on the floor. My god, is this guy quick.”

Anyone who follows Cappe on social media knows he’s busy with multiple things on the go. A recent trip out west—observing COVID-19 safety measures—and screening films for the Toronto International Film Festival are just two recent ventures. Earlier in the pandemic, Cappe wowed with his own kitchen skills, deep-frying various snack foods and constructing a mouthwatering cake adorned with Little Debbie Swiss Rolls. I feel like Cappe would fare pretty well if he swapped spots with a home cook on Wall of Chefs.

“I think that with an editor who was kind and with my wife as my sous chef—a.k.a. do most of the heavy lifting and let me stand in front of the camera and take the credit—I could make it to the second round,” he says with a laugh.

Wall of Chefs airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Food Network Canada.

Image courtesy of Corus Entertainment.

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Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

HGTV’s Family Home Overhaul debuts at “exactly the right time”

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When the pandemic hit, it threw television into disarray as productions were delayed as the sector scrambled to be safe. But finished series were affected too. Family Home Overhaul, HGTV Canada’s latest series, was originally slated to debut back in April, but that was scuttled to Sunday. Host Cheryl Hickey is totally fine with the switch.

“I think this show is needed more than ever right now,” Hickey says during a phone interview. “We need a show that reminds you that your neighbour might be going through something you don’t know about. It’s about compassion and giving outside of yourself and it is airing at exactly the right time.”

Debuting Sunday at 10 p.m. ET/PT on HGTV Canada, Family Home Overhaul is exactly what it sounds like, with a bit of a twist. Instead of homeowners pledging to have their homes renovated, they have been put forward by others in their community. These selfless families have put others before themselves, and the program—and its stars—is giving back.

In Sunday’s first episode we meet Sarah and Kevin, who are deeply involved in their community and volunteering worldwide to train medical practitioners on the unique needs of child patients and coaching sports for disabled kids and adults. The parents of two boys, Landon and Hayden, 12-year-old Landon has required round-the-clock care his whole life because of a rare developmental disorder. The result? Their older home is falling into disrepair and has workarounds that aren’t working at all. Enter Kortney and Dave Wilson, who work with Hickey to refresh the home and bring it up to date.

Each week, a pair of HGTV Canada’s talent join Hickey, including Scott McGillivray, Tiffany Pratt, Sebastian Clovis, Kortney and Dave Wilson, Brian McCourt, Mia Parres, Kate Campbell and Dave Coleman, Sarah Keenleyside, Joey Fletcher and Dave Kenney, Samantha Pynn and Tommy Smythe.

Hickey may be more known for her hosting duties on ET Canada, but she dives into the fray on Family Home Overhaul, helping with the renovations, conversing with homeowners and designer/contractors and speaking to the homeowners’ friends and family, building a picture of who these people are and why they deserve others’ giving back.

“I jumped at the chance to do this,” Hickey says. “Everything that I do starts and ends with family. I started a business called Cheryl’s Home and Family and if you follow me on social, it’s all about my family. So it made sense. The idea of giving back, to me, was just such a beautiful idea, I was all for it.”

Family Home Overhaul airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on HGTV Canada.

Images courtesy of HGTV Canada.

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Burden of Truth

Production begins on Season 4 of Burden of Truth

From a media release:

ICF Films, Eagle Vision, and eOne today announced that production is underway on Season 4 of CBC original drama series BURDEN OF TRUTH (8X60) in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Following lawyer Joanna Chang, (Kristin Kreuk; Smallville, Beauty and the Beast), BURDEN OF TRUTH began production in early September and is set to shoot until late fall. Seasons 1-3 of BURDEN OF TRUTH are available now on the free CBC Gem streaming service. BURDEN OF TRUTH is also broadcast on The CW in the U.S. and on additional networks around the world.

BURDEN OF TRUTH follows Joanna Chang, a ruthless, big-city lawyer who returns to her small hometown in Millwood for a case that will change her life forever. Each season centres around a new life-altering legal case – the vulnerable plaintiffs searching for answers and the boots-on-the-ground lawyers fighting incredible odds to deliver justice.

Reprising their roles for Season 4 are executive producer Kristin Kreuk as Joanna Chang; Peter Mooney (Rookie Blue, Saving Hope) as Billy Crawford; Star Slade (Frontier, Emerald Code) as law student Luna Spence; Meegwun Fairbrother (Mohawk Girls, Hemlock Grove) as Police Chief Owen Beckbie; and Anwen O’Driscoll (Emerald Code, Flint) as new Millwood police recruit, Officer Taylor Matheson. Additional returning cast members include local Winnipeg actors Eugene Baffoe (Ruthless Souls, Our Scene) as Officer Thorpe; Skye Pelletier (Taken, Indian Horse)) returning from Season 2 as Saulteaux teen, Kip Bellegarde; and lawyer Nevin Page returns from Season 2 and 3, played by Paul Essiembre (Chloe, Warehouse 13).

This season also welcomes new additions Brynn Godenir (The Middles, Journey Back to Christmas) as Stevie Nichols, Luna’s new law-student girlfriend, and Cherissa Richards (A Dog’s Journey, The Secret Ingredient) as Joanna’s new adversary, Elise Moore.

Season 4 welcomes a talented array of directors including Doug Mitchell (The Pinkertons, Less Than Kind), Kelly Makin (Flashpoint, Saving Hope), Michelle Latimer (Trickster, Rise), Madison Thomas (Taken, Colour of Scar Tissue), and 2nd Unit Director, Tyson Caron (Wynter, Lovesick).

Writers this season include Brad Simpson, Madison Thomas, Eric Putzer, Shannon Masters, Hayden Simpson, Felicia Brooker, and cast member, Meegwun Fairbrother joins the writers this season.

In Season 4, when a mining company reopens a dormant mine outside Millwood, Joanna and Billy, lawyers and new parents, step in to protect a local woman’s home from certain destruction. When the mine swiftly retaliates, Joanna is forced to confront a long-buried secret from her past and scramble to protect the future of her career and her family. As both sides prepare for war with the fate of Millwood at stake, Joanna and Billy must juggle their life with a newborn with waging a legal battle against a corporate titan. When they come across evidence the mine isn’t what it claims to be, Joanna seizes an opportunity to launch an unexpected legal battle that will bring the company to its knees.

A CBC original series, BURDEN OF TRUTH is produced by ICF Films, Eagle Vision, and eOne. The series is created by Brad Simpson (Rookie Blue, King), who is also an executive producer. Brad Simpson and Adam Pettle (Saving Hope, The Detail, Nurses) serve as co-showrunners and also write on Season 4. BURDEN OF TRUTH is executive produced by Ilana Frank (Nurses, Saving Hope), Linda Pope (Nurses, Saving Hope), Adam Pettle (Nurses, Saving Hope), Jocelyn Hamilton (Cardinal, Mary Kills People), Eagle Vision’s Kyle Irving (Taken, Ice Road Truckers) and Kristin Kreuk (Beauty & The Beast, Smallville). Co-Executive producers are Lisa Meeches of Eagle Vision (Taken, Ice Road Truckers) and Tyson Caron (Lovesick, Wynter).

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Workin' Moms

Production begins on Season 5 of Workin’ Moms

From a media release:

Principal photography has begun on the fifth season of CBC’s bold and irreverent original comedy WORKIN’ MOMS (10×30), produced by Wolf + Rabbit Entertainment. The series is created by Catherine Reitman (Black-ish, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), who serves as showrunner and executive producer and stars as Kate Foster. WORKIN’ MOMS looks at the polarizing and unexpected realities of the lives of a group of friends—all working moms—and their partners, as they’ve adjusted to life as parents. They might not be able to have it all, but they’re sure as hell going to try. Production will continue in and around Toronto through late November for a winter 2021 premiere on CBC and the free CBC Gem streaming service.

Season five of WORKIN’ MOMS continues to explore careers, motherhood and the delicate balance of having it all. Kate is inspired by a formidable new client, but could it cost her everything she’s worked for? Anne leaves Kate and her old life behind, as she, Lionel and the family move to Calgary. While Frankie easily steps into a leadership role at work, she struggles to find a connection with baby Solomon at home. Meanwhile, Jenny realizes her relationship with MCP could have more strings attached than she thought. The women embark on new chapters of their lives, while striving to maintain their friendships, careers, and parenting goals.

Returning cast include Dani Kind as Anne; Juno Rinaldi as Frankie; Jessalyn Wanlim as Jenny; Philip Sternberg as Nathan; Ryan Belleville as Lionel; Olunike Adeliyi as Giselle; Sarah McVie as Val; Katherine Barrell as Alicia; Sadie Munroe as Alice; Alex Mallari Jr. as MCP; Mimi Kuzyk as Eleanor; and Peter Keleghan as Richard, among other fan favourites. Joining the ensemble cast this season is Enuka Okuma (Impulse, Caught, Rookie Blue) as razor-sharp publishing executive Sloane Mitchell.

Earlier this month, Catherine Reitman was recognized by the Alliance for Women in Media with two Gracie Awards for WORKIN’ MOMS —one for Best Lead Actress, Comedy and one for Best Direction, Comedy. The Gracies® are named after media pioneer Gracie Allen, who embodied the character of the awards, and recognize exemplary programming created by, for and about women in radio, television, and interactive media.

WORKIN’ MOMS is executive produced by Catherine Reitman, Philip Sternberg and Jonathan A. Walker. Directors for the season are Mars Horodyski (Murdoch Mysteries, This Hour Has 22 Minutes) and Aleysa Young (New Eden, Baroness von Sketch Show). The series is written by Reitman, Jessie Gabe (Frankie Drake Mysteries, Mr. D) who is also co-executive producer this season, Karen Moore (Mary Kills People, Detention Adventure) who serves as supervising producer, Daniel Gold (Workin’ Moms) and Linsey Stewart (Mr. D, The Commute). Associate producers are Karyn Nolan (Workin’ Moms, The Stork Derby) and Lisa Benedetto (Workin’ Moms).  Series cinematography by Ben Lichty (TallBoyz), production design by Danielle Sahota (Workin’ Moms, TallBoyz) and costume design by Sheila Fitzpatrick (Workin’ Moms, The Padre). For CBC, Sally Catto is General Manager, Entertainment, Factual & Sports; Trish Williams is Executive Director, Scripted Content; Michelle Daly is Senior Director, Comedy, Scripted Content; and Sandra Picheca is Executive in Charge of Production.

A CBC original series, WORKIN’ MOMS is produced by Wolf + Rabbit Entertainment with the financial participation of the Canada Media Fund. The series is distributed internationally by Coldsprings Media LLC and represented by Executive Producer Tina Horwitz and her company Vanguarde Artists Management. Nominated for multiple Canadian Screen Awards and two International Emmy® Awards, the series airs in Canada on CBC and CBC Gem, and streams worldwide as a Netflix Original.

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