Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Top Chef Canada is back for Season 12 on Flavour Network

September 18, 2025 Greg David Leave a comment

From a media release:

Top Chef Canada is back for a milestone 12th season featuring 10 of the country’s best up-and-coming professional chefs, each with their own culinary origin story, and each fighting for the prestigious title of Canada’s Top Chef. With the esteemed panel of returning judges joined by buzz-worthy guests, this season’s never before-seen challenges will task the chefs with showcasing their skills while celebrating the rich cultural diversity of our country. Season 12 of Top Chef Canada, a #1 specialty entertainment program*, premieres Tuesday, October 14 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Flavour Network and streaming exclusively on STACKTV.

Top Chef Canada welcomes back chef, cookbook author, and longtime series host, Eden Grinshpan, along with a revered panel of returning judges: chef, fermenter and author David Zilber, powerhouse restaurateurJanet Zuccarini, chef and owner of The McEwan Group, Mark McEwan, and content creator and global food expert Mijune Pak.

For 11 seasons, Top Chef Canada has given fans a front-row seat to the country’s ever-evolving food scene and propelled its winners into Canadian culinary stars. This season will explore the essence of each competitor’s identity, tracing their unique culinary origin stories. In each episode, the chefs must elevate their skills and creativity to new heights with dishes that captivate the judges and take audiences on a culinary journey across the globe. There will be many Top Chef Canada firsts including a Bocuse d’Or-inspired elimination challenge, special events supporting Pride, an Indigenous film festival, and Restaurant Wars like you’ve never see it before. Featuring some of the best competitors in the history of the series, in the end only one chef will emerge victorious and be named Canada’s Top Chef.

The 10 chefs – Canada’s culinary crème de la crème – ready to compete for the glory and title of Canada’s Top Chef include:

Coulson Armstrong (He/Him) – 41, Toronto, Ont. (Our House Hospitality Company)

Katy Cheung (She/Her) – 33, Vancouver, B.C. (Burdock & Co.)

Holly Holt (She/Her) – 35, Edmonton, Alta. (Yellowhead Tribal Council & She Cooks Catering)

Alex Kim (He/Him) – 34, Vancouver, B.C. (Five Sails & Glowbal Restaurant Group)

Charlotte Langley (She/Her) – 41, Prince Edward County, Ont. (Nice Cans & Langley Foods)

Tracy Little (She/Her) – 39, Canmore, Alta. (Sauvage)

Nick Maharaj (He/Him) – 35, Victoria, B.C. (Part and Parcel)

Chris Pyne (He/Him) – 32, Windsor, N.S. (Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards)

Shai-Ann Tyson (She/Her) – 26, Toronto, Ont. (Balmy Beach Club & S.A.L.T Pop-up Restaurant Co.)

Anthony Vien (He/Him) – 28, Québec City, Que. (Tanière³)

During this season’s fast-paced challenges, Michelin Star chefs, culinary icons and notable personalities join the Top Chef Canada judging panel as guest judges and tasters. This includes Daniel Boulud (One Star Michelin restaurant DANIEL, and Cafe Boulud), Tawnya Brant (Top Chef Canada, Season 10 competitor), Shane Chartrand (Top Chef Canada, Season 11 competitor), Charlotte Cardin (Juno Award-winning singer), Susur Lee (Lee Restaurant, Lee Kitchen and TungLok Heen), Mei Lin (Top Chef, Season 12 winner, Chef/Owner, 88 Club & Daybird), Charlie Mitchell (executive chef/co-owner, One Star Michelin restaurant Clover Hill), Andrew Phung (actor, comedian, host of Big Burger Battle), Massimo Piedimonte (Top Chefalumni & owner of Cabaret l’Enfer), David Schwartz (culinary director, Big Hug Hospitality: Linny’s, Sunny’s Chinese, Mimi Chinese), Nara Smith (model and content creator), Chanthy Yen (Top Chef Canada, Season 11 winner), and many more.

Top Chef Canada is the homegrown version of the hit Emmy® Award-winning NBCUniversal Series Top Chef and is produced by Insight Productions (A Blue Ant Studios Company) in association with Flavour Network. Eric Abboud is Executive Producer and Showrunner along with Insight’s CEO & Executive Producer John Brunton and Executive Producer Mark Lysakowski. Co-Executive Producers for Insight Productions are Jessica Brunton and Daniel Klimitz.

Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Ice Road Truckers returns for a 12th season on History Channel

September 18, 2025 Greg David Leave a comment

From a media release:

The HISTORY® Channel’s hit original series Ice Road Truckers is back for an epic Season 12 return on Thursday, October 30 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. From its original series premiere in 2007, the fearless truckers return like never before to the treacherous terrain of icy roads and frozen lakes in Northern Canada delivering crucial supplies and necessities to isolated communities. With a winter window shorter than ever and no time to waste, these drivers risk everything to haul in a lifeline of goods while chasing big paydays before the opportunity melts away under their chained tires.

At the world’s northern edge, people and cultures cut off from civilization are briefly connected by a lifeline of roads paved with ice. Each year, a group of skilled, highly trained, and thrill-seeking truckers put their lives on the line to beat nature’s clock – battling dangerous roads, deadly frostbite, and brutal conditions to deliver life-saving supplies such as food and building materials to remote communities. This season, veterans like Todd Dewey and Lisa Kelly return with no hesitation – and no practice runs – while rookies emerge, determined to prove they have what it takes to reign supreme on the ice. With higher stakes, greater risks, and bigger rewards than ever before, it’s them vs. nature.

Ice Road Truckers is produced for The HISTORY Channel and Corus Entertainment by Original Productions and Eagle Vision. Kyle Irving, Lisa Meeches, and Rebecca Gibson are executive producers for Eagle Vision. Jeff Hasler, Brian Lovett, Meredith Prunkard, and Patrick Costello are executive producers for Original Productions.

Amazing Race Canada, Featured

The race continues as CTV orders Season 12 of The Amazing Race Canada

September 10, 2025 Greg David Leave a comment

From a media release:

As Canadians gear up for the Season 11 finale of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, airing Tuesday, Sept. 16 at 9 p.m. on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app, and streaming next day on Crave, the network announced today the early renewal of Canada’s favourite summertime adventure for Season 12. Hosted by Olympic gold medallist Jon Montgomery, THE AMAZING RACE CANADA is set to welcome a new group of racers to the starting line when it returns in 2026, with casting details to be announced.

“THE AMAZING RACE CANADA continues to be a powerhouse for CTV,” said Justin Stockman, Vice-President, Content Development & Programming, Bell Media. “Its unique ability to showcase the beauty of our country while also celebrating the resilience and diversity of Canadians makes it a standout series that resonates with viewers. Along with our incredible partners at Insight Productions, we’re ready to deliver another unforgettable journey across our extraordinary country.”

Customized and wholly integrated brand partnership opportunities for THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, including video, digital, social, radio, and OOH platforms with first in class data opportunities, are currently available for the upcoming season.

On the Season 11 finale of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA (Tuesday, Sept. 16 at 9 p.m. in all markets on CTV, CTV.ca and the CTV app, and streaming next day on Crave), titled “Double Roadblock,” the final four teams head to the picturesque town of Collingwood, Ont. for a heart pounding showdown, where the ultimate test of agility, skill, and teamwork awaits. In a world-wide franchise-first Double Roadblock, racers must split up and push their limits like never before. With only their wits and instincts to guide them, this final leg of the race tests both physical endurance and nerves of steel, as speed and coordination determine which team crosses the finish line first.

The winning team of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA (Season 11) receives the grand prize of two 2025 Chevrolet Blazer EV SS, a trip around the world, a $250,000 cash prize courtesy of FUZE Iced Tea, and the coveted title of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA champions. The final four teams competing on the Season 11 finale of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA are:

Jesse & Jonathon – Friends from Sherwood Park, Alta. and Woodlawn, Ont.
Grace & Joe – Siblings from Prince George, B.C.
Skylene & Blair (a.k.a. Nipîy & Magoo) – Married couple from Edmonton
EB & Blake – Brothers from Toronto

With final data of the full complete season yet to be reported, Season 11 of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA is the #1 summer series overall (P2+ and A25-54), with a current season average of 1.3 million viewers. The series is also set to close out its eleventh year as Canada’s most-watched summer series among A25-54. To date, THE AMAZING RACE CANADA has amassed a total of 46 Canadian Screen Award nominations and 28 wins.

To coincide with the Season 11 finale, all previous seasons of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA are available for streaming on Crave, beginning Tuesday, Sept. 16. Seasons 1-7 join those currently available, allowing viewers to relive the excitement of the race from the beginning. An encore presentation of THE AMAZING RACECANADA Season 11 finale airs Saturday, Sept. 20 at 2 p.m. ET/PT on CTV and 7 p.m. ET/PT on CTV2, as well as Sunday, Sept. 21 at 12 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app.

THE AMAZING RACE CANADA is produced by Insight Productions Ltd. (A Blue Ant Studios Company) in association with CTV. For Insight, John Brunton is Executive Producer and Mark Lysakowski is Executive Producer and Showrunner.

Featured

Bell Canada’s Fibe TV1 debuts enterprising new comedy, Charles™ Charles

September 9, 2025 Greg David Leave a comment

From a media release:

Bell Fibe TV1 this week debuts Charles™ Charles, a Hamilton-set mockumentary comedy created by Jess Joy and Stephen James and starring Kevin Jollimore (pictured above), Shaeane Jimenez, and Adam Lupis.

The 8 x 10-minute series premieres Thursday, September 11, 2025 on Bell Fibe TV1, and will be available on Fibe TV, channel 1 and the Fibe TV app.

Charles™ Charles centres on Southern Ontario’s most confident but least successful business mogul. When trademarking his own name fails to jumpstart his career, he reluctantly agrees to mentor two young entrepreneurs in the hopes of finally earning the recognition he deserves.

“We set ourselves a challenge in the very beginning,” says Joy. “Could we embrace silliness and absurdity while still keeping it heartfelt and emotional? Our favourite comedies thread that needle so well and we wanted to emulate that.”

Joy and James produced the series under their banner, Adventurous Hermit Films. The series is funded by Bell Canada and supported by senior producer Paul Gardner. Filming took place in Hamilton, Ont., in January.

Joy and James both attended York University but they met through the screenwriting workshops that James runs at LIFT (Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto).

James is a graduate of the American Film Institute in Los Angeles, a participant in the BBC’s new talent development program, Script Room 4, and a runner-up for the UK’s Red Planet Prize for new television writing. Joy wrote, directed, and produced the 2021 short film Lunachicks before partnering with James to develop comedy series formats for television and the web.

“Charles™ Charles has been a unique collaboration because Jess and I shared duties on every aspect of production. We co-wrote, co-directed, and produced as a team. The process worked remarkably well and felt very natural. We’re excited to do it again,” said James.

Image courtesy of Dustin Rabin.

Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

AMI-tv announces new and returning series to its 2025 fall broadcast schedule

September 3, 2025 Greg David Leave a comment

From a media release:

The weather may be cooling off, but the AMI-tv schedule is heating up! Today, AMI-tv unveils new and returning original series to entertain and inform Canadians of all abilities in the coming months.

It all begins with the Season 10 return of Our Community; followed by the debut of Desert Racers, starring Bruce Cook (By Hook or By Cook); the Season 2 return of Game Changers, hosted by Dave Brown; and Season 2 of Got Game.

Highlights of AMI-tv’s upcoming fall programming include:

September

Our Community returns Thursday, September 4, at 9:30 p.m. Eastern to AMI-tv and AMI+
Celebrating its 10^th season on AMI-tv, the Golden Sheaf Award-nominated Our Community highlights the people, places and organizations that have made life more enjoyable for Canadians with a disability. Organizations featured in the 12-episode 10^th season include Vancouver’s All Bodies Dance Project, Ontario’s WindReach Farm and Saskatchewan’s Prairie Branches.

Desert Racers debuts Friday, September 19, at 9 p.m. Eastern on AMI-tv
Bruce Cook, the star of AMI’s IndieFEST award-winning By Hook or By Cook, is back with the brand-new six-episode series Desert Racers, exclusively on AMI-tv! Jimmy Diaz, a small-town Baja dreamer, teams up with Bruce Cook, a daredevil who is paraplegic, to take on the most grueling off-road race in the world: The Baja 1000. Desert Racers is produced by Render Digital Media.

October

Game Changers returns Thursday, October 2, at 9 p.m. Eastern to AMI-tv and AMI+
Dave Brownis back for Season 2!Each episode of Game Changers finds Dave Brown in his element, visiting stunning locales while spending the day chatting with notable Canadians. Upcoming guests in the 20-episode season include Mary Walsh (This Hour Has 22 Minutes), Olympic gold medal-winning hockey goaltender Sami Jo Small, comedian Courtney Gilmour, Barenaked Ladies’ Kevin Hearn, hockey analyst and Internet personality Steve Dangle, Gavin Crawford (Because News) and professional race car driver Marie-Soleil Labelle. Game Changers is produced by FRANK Digital.

November

Got Game returns Wednesday, November 26, at 9 p.m. Eastern to AMI-tv and AMI+
Hosted by Joshua Ang (pictured with the cast above), the six-episode second season of Got Game explores coming-of-age in a board game café as six youths with disabilities share their stories in a round table discussion while playing inclusive tabletop games. Got Game provides an outlet for youth with disabilities to share their feelings, frustrations, triumphs, ambitions and general outlook on life with a disability. But it’s not about defining these individuals by their disability; it’s about recognizing the individualism of these youth aside from their disability. Got Game is produced by Mountain Road Productions.

All AMI-tv originals are available post-broadcast on demand at AMI+.