Tag Archives: Bell Media

Bell Media becomes Head of Household with order of Big Brother Canada for Crave and CTV

June 4, 2026 Greg David 1 Comment

From a media release:

Bell Media announced today that, following a deal with Banijay Rights, the global distribution arm of media and entertainment powerhouse Banijay Entertainment, it will bring future seasons of BIG BROTHER USA to Canadian audiences beginning Summer 2027. With the acquisition of the US series, Bell Media also announced it has ordered a new season of BIG BROTHER CANADA for Crave and CTV.

From Entourage, the team behind French-language Québécois series, BIG BROTHER CÉLÉBRITÉS, and produced in association with Crave and CTV, BIG BROTHER CANADA is set to begin production Spring 2027 in Montréal. Canadian TV personality Andrea Bain, co-host of CTV’s THE SOCIAL, is confirmed as the host for the new season, with casting details to be announced at a later date.

“BIG BROTHER is one of the most iconic and beloved formats around the world and we are thrilled to have it take up residency at Bell Media,” said Justin Stockman, VP, Global Content, Bell Media. “Further strengthening our alliance with our production partners at Entourage and distribution partner at Banijay Rights, we look forward to delivering Canadian audiences more of the eventful and unforgettable competitive social gameplay they love with a new season of BIG BROTHER CANADA.”

“BIG BROTHER is a global phenomenon that continues to embed deep roots with local audiences. Continuing our long-standing partnership with Bell Media, we’re thrilled to bring back this renowned superbrand to Canada which will be a brilliant way to showcase the country’s culture and personality,” added Jane Rimer, SVP Canada, Banijay Rights, who negotiated the agreement.

With the order of BIG BROTHER CANADA, Bell Media also acquires the Canadian series’ back catalogue, with 12 seasons to be available to stream on Crave, joining the extensive collection of French-language series, BIG BROTHER CÉLÉBRITÉS. The French-language series has established itself as a fan-favourite since its debut in 2021, following a deal with Banijay Rights, spawning yearly specials and a successful spin-off. Season 6 of BIG BROTHER CÉLÉBRITÉS on Noovo was the #1 original reality series of Winter 2026 and was the most-streamed show in French on Crave in the same period, amassing nearly 4.7 million views on Crave and Noovo.ca combined.

One of the world’s most iconic and successful reality television franchises, BIG BROTHER first hit screens 26 years ago in the Netherlands in 1999. Since its debut, over 600 series of the show have aired around the world in 70 markets. The format continues to make a splash globally, with prime-time success in the UK, Australia, Germany and Brazil; long-running versions airing consistently in the US and Italy since 2000; six regional versions each year in India; and a new adaptation in Malta. BIG BROTHER, a Banijay Entertainment format, is one of the powerhouse’s top three formats and has maintained huge popularity globally, airing in 27 territories last year.

For Entourage, Eric Young and Nathalie Brigitte Bustos are Executive Producers, Mathieu Ouellet is Showrunner; and France Racine is Producer. For Bell Media, Rachel Goldstein-Couto is Head of Development, Original Programming; Alexis McLaren is Production Executive, Original Programming; Danielle Pearson is Senior Production Executive, Original Programming; Sarah Fowlie is Head of Production, Original Programming; Carlyn Klebuc is General Manager, Original Programming; Justin Stockman is Vice-President, Global Content, Bell Media.

Featured, The Littlest Hobo

Crave, Point Grey Pictures and Lionsgate set The Littlest Hobo as first project under partnership

June 4, 2026 Greg David 1 Comment

From a media release:

Following a previously announced development and production agreement, Crave today revealed the first project to emerge from Bell Media’s partnership with Lionsgate Canada and Point Grey Pictures: a live-action drama reimagining of iconic Canadian television classic THE LITTLEST HOBO. The series is produced by Lionsgate Canada in partnership with Point Grey Pictures, Rose Oushalkas and Christopher Dew of New Hobo Productions Inc., and Crave.

This marks Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s first scripted project for the Canadian market under Lionsgate’s first-look television deal with Point Grey, expanding their multi-year partnership and building on their recent collaboration on The Studio for Apple TV. The series recently completed one of the most dominant awards runs in modern television history earning 23 Emmy nominations and 13 Emmy^® Awards, in addition to major wins at the Golden Globe^® and BAFTA Awards.

THE LITTLEST HOBO represents a new take on the beloved Canadian television series, which originally aired on CTV from 1979 to 1985. Starring an extraordinarily intelligent, ownerless German Shepherd who wandered from town to town helping people in need, the story has resonated with generations of audiences.

“THE LITTLEST HOBO was a foundational show of our childhood. We are thrilled to have the honour of bringing it back for a new generation alongside our partners at Crave. And though the hobo may be little, we promise big things to come. That doesn’t mean the dog will be huge like Clifford. The hobo will still be little. But the adventures will be BIG,” – said Rogen and Goldberg.

“THE LITTLEST HOBO is one of the most legendary pieces of Canadian IP, and there is no creative team better suited to reimagine it for a new generation than Seth and Evan,” said Justin Stockman, Vice-President, Global Content, Bell Media. “With bold, original storytelling rooted in Canada, this project sits at the heart of everything we set out to accomplish with this partnership. We couldn’t be more excited to bring Hobo home to Crave.”

“We’re thrilled to build on our partnership with Point Grey and Bell Media to bring a fresh new take on this beloved property to Canadian audiences,” said Lionsgate Television Group EVP & Head of Scripted Development Scott Herbst and Lionsgate Canada Television President Jocelyn Hamilton. “With its Canadian roots, Point Grey is the ideal creative partner for THE LITTLEST HOBO, and Crave is the perfect home for the series to connect with audiences across Canada.”

Casting, production, and premiere details are set to be announced at a later date.

Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary, The Tom Green Farm

There are animals and interviews to discover on Crave’s The Tom Green Farm

May 27, 2026 Greg David Leave a comment

By Scott Campbell

“I was on a farm,” Tom Green says during a phone interview. “I thought, ‘We should do a show here.’ And then it just unravelled from there.”

The one thought led to the newest Crave original series, The Tom Green Farm, produced by Tom Green Productions Canada Inc. in association with Crave, premiering on Friday.

The 10-episode first season is set in rural Ontario, on a 150-acre lot that features Green’s farmhouse, built in 1857.

“I think the biggest surprise is the fact that I have these amazing big animals now that are part of our family,” he says.

“My wife and I look after this giant 1,500-pound mule and horses. It’s a whole new experience I never really, frankly, imagined growing up. I would have these big donkeys and horses living with us,” he continues. “They’re so friendly, and they sort of become kind of connected with you, it’s not an inanimate object that’s there. They actually know you, and I know them, and we trust each other, and we spend time with each other.”

“It’s really a kind of moving experience every day when you realize these animals are our friends, and we all love each other.”

Green was born in Pembroke, Ontario, but remembers living in Petawawa—calling himself a “military brat”—and going to school there. He noted his father was a captain in the Canadian Armed Forces, so the family moved around a lot.

The time in Petawawa has led to Green’s induction into the Petawawa Sports and Entertainment Hall of Fame, scheduled for June. This is thanks to a suggestion by singer Jason Blaine made to Mayor Gary Serviss.

“We’ll be going up there and having a fun time in our old stomping grounds for sure,” he says.

The mention of Jason Blaine is because he is also one of the guests who visits The Tom Green Farm in Season 1. The media release mentions guest names such as Amber Marshall, Jay Baruchel, Michael Cera (pictured above), Chantal Kreviazuk, The Tragically Hip’s Paul Langlois, Steven Page, Priyanka, Jessie Reyez and George Stroumboulopoulos.

“We had Tony Hawk [and Kevin Stabb] on the show,” said Green. “We built a skateboard ramp that was sort of an incredible experience for me, being a skateboarder growing up. We had Dan Aykroyd on the show, a legendary entertainer, and it was just sort of an honour to have him come out to the farm.”

Really, all the guests surprised Green because they made the effort to show up in the middle of the wilderness.

“I think it really bleeds into the interviews and the show because people are having fun and excited to be out in nature and exploring the rural countryside,” he says.

Green has gained a few interview experiences through the years. He mentioned being a guest host for David Letterman on The Late Show, a guest host for Larry King and, of course, hosting The Tom Green Show, and he built a studio in his living room for a show called Webovision.

Green is happy with the completion of this current project, now that it’s all put together and ready to be unleashed into the world. A lot of work was put into it, as it’s been a labour of love.

“It’s almost like a cinematic film shoot type thing,” he says. “There are really a lot of technical aspects of it, and now that we have everybody to see life on the farm and all of our amazing guests that came out.”

The Tom Green Farmcast is also launching on iHeartRadio Canada the same day the series premieres, serving as a companion piece.

“If you want to watch the show in its entirety, you should watch it on Crave,” Green says. “But if you’re driving in your car and it comes on iHeartRadio, you can hear a great interview with Dan Aykroyd or one of our guests, and hopefully that’ll make you go get Crave. If you don’t have Crave already, watch the show because it’s a lot of fun.”

The Tom Green Farm debuts Friday on Crave. Following the debut, two episodes will be released every Friday.

Images courtesy of Bell Media.

Industry News, The Office Movers

Jermaine and Trevaunn Richards’ Random Order Studios and Bell Media ink co-development deal

April 30, 2026 Greg David Leave a comment

From a media release:

Bell Media and Random Order Studios today announced a co-development and first-look agreement, marking a significant evolution in their ongoing partnership and a new chapter for globally minded, culture-driven storytelling.

The deal builds on the success of Crave Original series THE OFFICE MOVERS and JUDGE TYCO, and reflects a shared commitment to developing premium content that resonates both locally and globally.

“Random Order Studios brings a bold, distinctive voice and sharp comedic sensibility to Bell Media’s world-class content portfolio,” said Justin Stockman, VP, Global Content, Bell Media. “Our collaboration with Jermaine and Trevaunn underscores our commitment to expanding our digital and premium content footprint—delivering authentic, globally resonant storytelling that connects with audiences everywhere.”

“We’ve always built from a real place, from our community, from our experiences, and from the people who have supported us from the beginning,” said Jermaine Richards. “This partnership is a continuation of that, just at a different level. It allows us to stay true to who we are while opening the door to tell bigger stories and reach audiences around the world.”

“We understand what audiences connect with because we’ve been building with them for years,” said Trevaunn Richards. “Now it’s about taking that same instinct and applying it to bigger ideas, bigger formats, and a global stage. We’re coming into this with momentum, and we plan to make the most of it.”

“This is a milestone, but it’s also momentum,” said Julian Lloyd, Executive Producer at Random Order Studios. “ We built outside the traditional system — audiences first, trust through consistency. This partnership proves creator-led studios can scale into long-form without losing what made them resonate. We’re still community-first — now we’re building at scale.”

Random Order Studios currently operates with a broad production slate spanning scripted and unscripted series, branded content, and athlete and culture-driven storytelling. The studio is actively developing projects alongside leading cultural production partners and global brands, with a focus on bridging internet culture, sports, and television.

Acting Good, Featured

Paul Rabliauskas on Acting Good Season 4, and the surprises of making a TV show

November 20, 2025 Greg David

By Scott Campbell

Paul Rabliauskas says the long, hard work of making a television sitcom like CTV’s Acting Good did surprise him.

But with 40 episodes out for viewers to watch at the end of this season, he feels that is an accomplishment.

“Not every show gets four seasons,” Rabliauskas said during a phone interview.

“There’s a feeling of being grateful to be a part of it, and honestly, we worked so hard on it. There’s no time to reflect because we are always go, go, go. We get a month and a half off between seasons before we are writing again and editing.”

Viewers may have come across some stand-up comedy done by Rablauskas. He is a member of the Poplar River First Nation. The sitcom films on location in Winnipeg and Brokenhead Ojibway Nation, which then puts on screens the ups and downs of reserve life at the fictional Grouse Lake First Nation.

Along with being in the cast, he is also the co-creator of Acting Good along with Amber-Sekowan Daniels, Eric Toth and Pat Thornton. Rablauskas also outlines the stories for each season, which writers would come in and flesh out.

“I was obsessed with television,” said Rablauskas. “I was kind of a chubby kid who didn’t want to go outside. We lived in the bush, and all my brothers and cousins would go swimming and go play. I wanted to stay home and watch Married with Children.”

“I just wanted to watch sitcoms all day. I kind of studied sitcoms and comedy, it was like comfort food to me to be around comedy … when I was 16, I had hosted a show on APTN called Cool Jobs for three seasons. I had the ability to be funny on camera even at a young age.”

“So, I always fantasize about having a show, that didn’t mean I didn’t think I would get into acting … then the stand-up thing happened and met Pat Thornton at a show, he said, ‘Hey man, your story about being from the rez that’s pretty unique.’ And that’s all it took…”

For being a stacked Indigenous show on television, says Rablauskas, the process of making a season is a long one. The writing process starts in January, and with the season presently airing on television, work continues until December.

Rablauskas gives much credit to the team that put together the show, including the directors, such as Michael Greyeyes, who also plays Cousin Leon, and the cast and crew.

On the acting front, there’s trying to remember the line and making sure you hit your mark, as well as being aware of your eyeline. However, the hardest work is maintaining the energy. That scene, he said, which you shot at 8 a.m., has to have the same energy when you shoot at 10 p.m.

“I wasn’t prepared for (the work and time),” he said. “Michael said you’ll come home and cry, and there’s no reason for it. And I’ve done that eight times since he said it, because I’m so exhausted.”

“I think what makes it worthwhile is all the Native kids that message me,” said Rablauskas, “And pitching show ideas, they want me to add characters. All the kids on the rez want to be included. I think the fact that so many young kids on my reserve are excited about it, I think that’s my favourite part of it.”

Another cool aspect of the show, although sometimes overwhelming, is the fan reaction. Rablauskas can see the trajectory of the fans’ investment in the show. During the first season, they went from asking, “Aren’t you that guy?” To now, asking what’s going to happen to characters.

“I can talk to them as a fan myself, which I love to do,” he said. “I would not trade any of this for stand-up comedy. This is such a cool world to be a part of; the fact that we get to keep doing this means so much. The stand-up is always there. It’s not like I’m going to forget how to be funny or perform … I couldn’t ask to be in a better place right now.”

Acting Good airs Mondays at 10:30 p.m.on CTV Comedy Channel, CTV.ca and the CTV app and streams next day on Crave.

Images courtesy of Bell Media.