Tag Archives: Blink49 Studios

Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Season 2 of Queen of the Castle reclaims its throne on Crave, beginning May 29

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From a media release:

Revelry and renovations reign once again in Season 2 of the CTV Original docuseries QUEEN OF THE CASTLE as the full season drops on Crave, Friday, May 29. The series also airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CTV Life Channel beginning June 3.

The 10-episode, hour-long lifestyle series follows Ann Kaplan Mulholland, who returns to rule her ever-expanding and ambitious plan of transforming a historic medieval castle in Kent, England, into a luxurious, world-class destination fit for modern royalty – this time with bigger events, bolder ideas, and even more pressure, as renovations, new businesses, and extravagant celebrations collide.

Following an inaugural season filled with sweeping renovations, lavish weddings, and the debut of the castle’s bar and bistro, Ann’s vision only grows more ambitious as she sets her sights on expanding her queendom. In Season 2, no turret is left unturned, as Ann hosts opulent wellness retreats and high-fashion spectacles, all while steering Lympne Castle toward its ultimate coronation as a fully realized luxury hotel. But ruling a castle is no small feat. Behind the grandeur lies a court of dedicated staff navigating tight timelines, shifting priorities, and Ann’s ever-expanding decree of ideas. With her husband Dr. Stephen Mulholland — a world-renowned plastic surgeon — by her side, the pair continue their quest to breathe new life into the storied estate, proving that even centuries-old walls can bend to a bold, modern vision.

On the Season 2 premiere of QUEEN OF THE CASTLE, “Rosé Rodeo”, as heritage council delays stall major renovations at Lympne Castle, Ann throws her energy into bold new décor − from custom carpets woven with the castle’s coat of arms to lavish drapery fit for royalty. With the first big event of summer on the line, Ann and her team race to deliver a one-of-a-kind “Rosé Rodeo” birthday celebration complete with wall-to-wall pink decor, a mechanical bull, and cowboy-inspired flair. Between Chef Tony’s high-stakes debut in the kitchen and Ann’s constant surprises, the castle staff have their work cut out for them to deliver an epic event for a group of wild ladies.

Viewers can also catch up on Season 1 of QUEEN OF THE CASTLE available for free on Crave’s YouTube™ channel and streaming on Crave.

QUEEN OF THE CASTLE is produced by Blink49 Studios and Nest Productions. Executive producers include Blink49’s Toby Dormer, Allison Brough, and Vera Lubimova, along with Ann Kaplan Mulholland, Stephen Mulholland, Jeff Copeland, and Bell Media’s Justin Stockman, as well as co-executive producers Marisa Erftemeijer-Strowger and Derek Drennan from Nest Productions. Series Producer is Annelies McConnachie-Howarth.

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Featured, Late Bloomer

April showers bring Crave flowers with Season 3 of Late Bloomer premiering April 24

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From a media release:

Season 3 of the half-hour Crave Original dramedy series Late Bloomer takes root with a two-episode premiere on Friday, April 24. Created by and starring Jasmeet Raina, the series follows Jasmeet Dutta (Raina) a 30-something Punjabi Canadian trying to get his life together. The eight-episode season follows a weekly release schedule, with new episodes streaming Fridays. 

After closing a chapter on his last relationship, Season 3 sees Jasmeet turn the page with new heights in his career, including starring in his first film, entering the livestream world, and growing a dedicated fandom. But as he battles the pressures of his career, he struggles to maintain his relationships with his friends and family. 

Returning cast alongside Raina this season include: Baljinder Singh Atwal (DES PARDES); Sandeep Bali; Ashley Ganger (GRAND ARMY); Sugenja Sri (THE HANDMAID’S TALE); Ahamed Weinberg (INSECURE); Sachin Mahashi; and Sukhman Gill. Joining the cast are Usha Kiran Uppal as Gurdeep’s stern mother Dadi; Amit Aujila as Jasmeet’s manager Navi; Megha Sandhu (PAINKILLER) as Jasmeet’s long-lost friend Maya; and TikTok content creator Prayag Mishra who plays the fast-rising social media star – and Jasmeet’s worst nightmare – Prem.  

LATE BLOOMER is produced by Blink49 Studios and Ethriel Productions in association with Bell Media and with the participation of the Canada Media Fund, the Bell Fund, and tax credit assistance from of the Government of Ontario, and the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit. Jasmeet Raina is Executive Producer, Creator, Star, Director and Co-Showrunner; Nelu Handa is Executive Producer and Co-Showrunner; and Baljinder Dhawan is Executive Producer. Fawzia Mirza is Director and Consulting Producer. Nelson Kuo-Lee is Producer. Robbie David is Series Producer.  Executive Producers are Nelson Kuo-Lee, John Morayniss, Daphne Park, Virginia Rankin, Clayton Peters and Russell Peters.  Kaveh Mohebbi is Co-Executive Producer, Creative Producer is Nafisa Murji and Supervising Producers are Tashi Bieler and Mara Dunker. 

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Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Dan Petronijevic puts his trades skills to work in the new Crave original docuseries, Blue Collar

From a media release:

Part workplace comedy, part trial by fire, Crave’s new original docuseries BLUE COLLAR celebrates the resilience, loyalty, humour, and hard work found in everyday, working-class life. The series follows  Dan Petronijevic (THE TRADES) as he swaps punchlines for pressure by stepping into some of Canada’s toughest, dirtiest, and most physically demanding jobs. All 10 episodes of BLUE COLLAR are available for streaming on Friday, March 27.

Each episode of BLUE COLLAR focuses on a single profession, and features Petronijevic as he arrives as a rookie with no script, no stunt doubles, and no way to fake it. Throughout, he works alongside seasoned professionals who set the pace and have zero patience for dead weight.

From firehoses to fishing nets, and welding torches to carnival rides, the professions Petronijevic faces head on in BLUE COLLAR include: waste management and recycling; commercial fishing; sanitation; pest control; auto recycling; firefighting; tree planting; farming; and amusement park services.

Host Dan Petronijevic is a Canadian actor whose versatile career spans film, television, and voice work. He has appeared in feature films including the American Pie franchise and is known for roles in 19-2, CARDINAL, and LETTERKENNY. He currently plays Backwoods, a refinery worker, in Crave’s cult comedy, THE TRADES.

BLUE COLLAR is produced by Blink49 Studios, Kontent House Productions and Little Bear Big Wolf Pictures in association with Bell Media’s Crave. Toby Dormer, Allison Brough, Vince Buda, Ryan J. Lindsay, and Daniel Fortin are executive producers. Dan Petronijevic is executive producer and host. Portia Corman is series producer and writer.

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Heated Rivalry, Schitt's Creek, Yaga

Carrie-Anne Moss leads an all-star cast for the Crave original series Yaga, including Noah Reid, Clark Backo and Hudson Williams

From a media release:

With production now underway, Crave today announced the principal cast for its first, half-hour, original drama series, YAGA, led by Carrie-Anne Moss (THE MATRIX), Noah Reid (SCHITT’S CREEK), Clark Backo (LETTERKENNY), and Hudson Williams (HEATED RIVALRY).

Based on the hit play by Kat Sandler, who also serves as writer and showrunner, the Crave Original series reimagines the myth of Baba Yaga, as a contemporary mystery thriller set in a small coastal town. Produced by Front Street Pictures and Blink49 Studios in partnership with Crave, YAGA is co-directed by David Frazee and Rachel Talalay, with principal photography currently underway.

YAGA follows Rapp (Noah Reid), a private investigator who arrives in a small coastal town to investigate the disappearance of a young heir to a powerful fishery, Henry Park (Hudson Williams). He finds himself at odds with an apprehensive local detective, Carson (Clark Backo), a charismatic university professor with a taste for younger men, Katherine (Carrie-Anne Moss), and a labyrinth of enigmatic suspects, secret lives, and ancient magic.

“Featuring a truly exceptional cast, this series marks another exciting collaboration with Blink49 Studios,” said Justin Stockman, Vice President, Content Development & Programming, Bell Media. “We’re thrilled to bring Kat Sandler’s bold vision to Crave with this first-ever half-hour drama, and to continue setting the bar for genre-bending, unexpected storytelling.”

“YAGA has evolved from myth to stage to my first greenlit series, reclaiming the wicked witch and reshaping her as an incendiary feminist antihero for our time,” said Kat Sandler. “It reflects the kind of storytelling I love: propulsive, accessible, dark, funny, and unapologetically bold. I’m incredibly excited to bring Crave’s first-ever half-hour drama to life alongside longtime collaborator Mackenzie Donaldson, Front Street Pictures, Blink49, and Bell Media.”

“YAGA is the kind of ambitious, genre-smashing storytelling we’re proud to support,” said Mackenzie Donaldson, Vice President, Scripted Television, Blink49 Studios. “Bringing Kat Sandler’s singular and fearless voice to the screen for the first time is a thrill. This is a story that is truly unique and unmistakably hers – fresh, contemporary reimagining of a classic myth brought to life by an exceptional cast and creative collaborators.”

The series marks a significant collaboration between Bell Media and Blink49 Studios, following Bell Media’s strategic investment in the Toronto-based production studio announced in June 2025. Bell Media and Blink49 Studios previously partnered on docuseries QUEEN OF THE CASTLE, and scripted series including DON’T EVEN, LATE BLOOMER, SIGHT UNSEEN, and THE TRADES.

Produced by Front Street Pictures and Blink49 Studios, showrunner is Kat Sandler; co-directors are David Frazee and Rachel Talalay. The series is executive produced by Mackenzie Donaldson, Andrew Miller and Carrie-Anne Moss and produced by Charles Cooper.

The series is distributed internationally by Sphere Abacus and will also be available as four, one-hour episodes for international sales.

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Featured, Haven, Industry News, Wild Cards

Blink49 Studios and Piller/Segan ink multi-year joint venture to develop and produce premium content across all genres

From a media release:

Piller/Segan and Blink49 Studios, have entered into a multi-year joint venture agreement that will see both companies contribute financial and creative resources for the development and production of a slate of premium scripted and unscripted content.

The partnership builds on a long-standing creative relationship between Blink49 Studios CEO John Morayniss and Piller/Segan partners Lloyd Segan and Shawn Piller, who previously collaborated on hit series Private Eyes and fan-favorite Haven during Morayniss’ tenure at eOne. The companies are currently producing Season 3 of Wild Cards (CBC/The CW), which has also been ordered for Season 4.

Designed as a hub for bold new projects, the joint venture will take an open-door approach to building long-term IP and franchises across genres, encouraging crossover opportunities for concepts that can thrive in multiple formats. Building on the strength of its existing creative team, Piller/Segan will expand its development capacity with the addition of a seasoned executive dedicated to sourcing and shepherding projects under the joint venture, working closely with Blink49 Studios leadership.

“This joint venture is a natural evolution of the trust and creative synergy we’ve built over many years,” said Morayniss. “With our combined financial commitment and infrastructure, Blink49 Studios and Piller/Segan are well-positioned to deliver globally resonant storytelling and provide creators with the resources they need to succeed.”

“We’re thrilled to formalize this next chapter with John and the incredible team at Blink49 Studios,” added Segan. “This venture gives us the reach and flexibility to champion a wide range of projects — from supporting established voices to cultivating fresh talent. Together, we’re building a dynamic environment where creators can take risks and bring ambitious ideas to life.”

The venture reflects both companies’ shared mission to empower creators, invest in innovative storytelling, and deliver high-quality programming to a global marketplace.

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