Tag Archives: Boat Rocker Studios

CTV’s original competition series Cross Country Cake Off returns May 26

From a media release:

Oven timers at the ready! CTV’s delicious original competition series CROSS COUNTRY CAKE OFF returns with six all-new episodes, Fridays at 9 p.m. ET/PT beginning May 26 on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app. Hosts Mary Berg and Andrew Han make another trip across the country, adding two additional stops along the way, to find 40 new cake makers hoping to bake their way to the top prize of $50,000 and the title of CROSS COUNTRY CAKE OFF Champion.

The new episodes see hosts Berg and Han back on the road, making stops in Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto, Montréal, and Halifax for five regional qualifying rounds. In each regional episode, eight bakers present their homemade creations to the judges in hopes of securing a spot in the next round. From there, the top four cake makers from each qualifier move forward to compete in a timed cake challenge in the CROSS COUNTRY CAKE OFF kitchen. At the end of each episode, one baker will advance to the finale where they will bake it out to claim the top prize.

CROSS COUNTRY CAKE OFF culminates in a national finale face-off, airing Friday, June 30 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app, where the final five bakers, each representing their regions, plus a sixth mystery wild card baker, whisk up show stopping creations in hopes of being crowned the CROSS COUNTRY CAKE OFF Champion by the judges, walking out of the kitchen with the $50,000 prize.

Viewers can stream new episodes of CROSS COUNTRY CAKE OFF with no subscription or sign-in required on CTV.ca and the CTV app, which is also home to bonus content including exclusive video content and behind-the-scenes extras. In addition, viewers can follow @CTV’s social channels all season long for highlights and bonus content.

CROSS COUNTRY CAKE OFF is developed and produced by Boat Rocker’s Proper Television, in association with Bell Media. Cathie James and Lesia Capone are Executive Producers and David Donohue and Meredith Veats are Series Producers.

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All-new original competition series Cross Country Cake Off decorates CTV’s schedule beginning December 4

From a media release:

It’s cake time! CTV announced today that its all-new cake competition series, CROSS COUNTRY CAKE OFF, is set to make its debut December 4 with four holiday-themed episodes. Hosted by cookbook author and multiple Canadian Screen Award-winner Mary Berg and introducing celebrated pastry chef Andrew Han, the CTV Original series airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app, and features the country’s best cake makers as they bake to claim the $50,000 prize, and the title of CROSS COUNTRY CAKE OFF Champion.

Throughout four holiday-themed episodes, hosts Berg and Han judge the homemade cakes of 24 bakers from across Canada. During three regional qualifying rounds, eight bakers in each of the host cities – Vancouver, Toronto, and Halifax – present their creations to the judges. Four cake makers from each qualifier then move forward to compete in the CROSS COUNTRY CAKE OFF kitchen in a festive cake challenge. The Top 2 bakers representing each region move on to compete in the finale.

In a special two-night event beginning Sunday, Dec. 18 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app, the third and final qualifying round concludes leaving six cake makers to face off in two holiday challenges. The winner takes home the top prize of $50,000 and the title of CROSS COUNTRY CAKE OFF Champion during the finale on Monday, Dec. 19 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app.

Following the four-episode holiday season, CROSS COUNTRY CAKE OFF returns to CTV in spring 2023 with six all-new episodes featuring a new crop of 40 Canadian bakers vying for the top prize.

Viewers can stream new episodes of CROSS COUNTRY CAKE OFF on CTV.ca and the CTV app, which is also home to bonus content including exclusive video content and behind-the-scenes extras. In addition, viewers can follow @CTV’s social channels all season long for highlights, bonus content, and more.

About Mary Berg
Mary Berg is a three-time Canadian Screen Award-winner for Best Host, Lifestyle for her shows MARY MAKES IT EASY (2022) and MARY’S KITCHEN CRUSH (2020-21). MARY MAKES IT EASY was also named Best Lifestyle Program or Series at this year’s Canadian Screen Awards, following back-to-back wins for MARY’S KITCHEN CRUSH in 2020 and 2021. Berg is the Season 3 winner of CTV’s MASTERCHEF CANADA, as well as a cooking expert on CTV YOUR MORNING, THE SOCIAL, and THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW. Berg is the best-selling author of Kitchen Party: Effortless Recipes for Every Occasion, and Berg’s newest book Well Seasoned: A Year’s Worth of Delicious Recipes.

About Andrew Han
Chef Andrew Han is the owner and executive chef of the award-winning Kouign Café, located in the heart of Vancouver’s historic Chinatown. Chef Han discovered a love of cooking early on in life and received training in classical French and Italian culinary and pastry arts at the Northwest Culinary Academy of Vancouver. He began his career as executive pastry chef at several notable Vancouver restaurants and bakeries, merging his Korean-Vietnamese-Canadian upbringing with his passion for food to then create his whimsical and other-worldly creations at Kouign Café. While Chef Han is known for his masterful execution of combining sweet and savoury ingredients and his special selection of Kouign Amann, his most well-known menu item is the White Rabbit Cookie. This cookie went viral when he participated in a one-time Chinatown pop-up, drawing daily lineups of hungry foodies craving culinary nostalgia.

With just the right amount of authenticity, innovation, and imagination, Chef Han elevates the humble foods of his Chinatown upbringing and takes his guests to a magical place where he shares his childhood and heritage through unique and delectable bites.

CROSS COUNTRY CAKE OFF is developed and produced by Boat Rocker’s Proper Television, in association with Bell Media. Cathie James and Lesia Capone are Executive Producers and David Donohue and Meredith Veats are Series Producers.

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Boat Rocker strikes first-look deal with Jay Baruchel

From a media release:

Boat Rocker, an independent, integrated global entertainment company, has struck a first-look deal with actor, writer, director, and producer Jay Baruchel. Under the deal, Baruchel will develop and produce original television, film and digital projects for the company.

“Proudly wearing the Canadian maple leaf tattooed over his heart, Jay Baruchel is a national treasure. Jay has brought his unique talent, charm and humour to a multitude of rewatchable films and series, whether it be as actor, writer, producer or host,” said David Fortier and Ivan Schneeberg, Co-Executive Chairmen, Boat Rocker Media and Co-Chairmen, Boat Rocker Studios. “Everyone at Boat Rocker is excited to be working with Jay to help him bring his ideas and stories to global audiences.”

Baruchel starred as Josh Greenberg on all three seasons of Simon Rich-created Man Seeking Woman on FXX. He is also known for voicing Hiccup in the How to Train Your Dragon franchise, co-writing and starring in the Goon movie franchise, and his roles in blockbuster feature comedies Tropic Thunder, Knocked Up, and This is the End. Baruchel recently hosted the hit series LOL: Last One Laughing Canada from Boat Rocker’s Insight Productions for Amazon Prime Video. He will also be a series regular in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s upcoming untitled spy adventure series for Netflix.

Jay Baruchel said: “I loved working with the Boat Rocker and Insight Productions family on LOL: Last One Laughing Canada and have been and continue to be a big fan of what they’re doing and the projects they are developing. I couldn’t be more excited about this partnership or more honoured to be working with Boat Rocker in finding wonderful Canadian stories to entertain the world with. Stay tuned!!”

Baruchel joins other first-look deals recently struck by Boat Rocker, including Dr. Ibram X. Kendi’s Maroon Visions, Dakota Johnson and Ro Donnelly’s TeaTime Pictures, and Shamier Anderson and Stephan James’ Bay Mills Studios.

Boat Rocker is behind a growing number of premium content productions, including Amber Brown, for Apple TV+, the upcoming Slip for The Roku Channel, and Orphan Black: Echoes for AMC.

Baruchel is repped by CAA, Thruline Entertainment, and Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Adler, Feldman & Clark, Inc.

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Global original scripted series Robyn Hood begins production June 20

From a media release:

Following yesterday’s exclusive announcement at Banff World Media Festival, Global confirms the start of production and casting details for new original scripted series, Robyn Hood. With filming beginning June 20 in the Toronto and Hamilton area, Robyn Hood is produced by Boat Rocker, created by innovative music video director and filmmaker Julien Christian Lutz pka Director X (Superfly, Mister Tachyon), and written by award-winning screenwriter Chris Roberts (Orphan Black, Frontier).

Set to premiere on Global in the 2023 broadcast year, the eight-episode, one-hour contemporary re-imagining of the Robin Hood legend follows fearless heroine Robyn Loxley and anti-authoritarian masked hip-hop band, The Hood, as they call out injustices and fight for freedom and equality in the city of New Nottingham.

The heroic tale stars an aspiring cast including:

· Jessye Romeo (Pennyworth) as Robyn Loxley, young rapper and leader of The Hood
· Nykeem Provo (The Right One) as Little John, Robyn’s daring right hand man and member of The Hood
· Idrissa Sanogo (Titans) as Alan A. Dale, The Hood’s charming music producer
· Daniela Kharlamova (The Boys) as Much, a mechanical genius and The Hood’s vocalist
· Jonathan Langdon (Run the Burbs) as Tuck, The Hood’s eccentric hacker
· Sydney Kuhne (Kim’s Convenience) as Marian Fitzwalter, a determined lawyer
· Ian Matthews (The Hardy Boys) as John Prince, a wealthy and villainous real estate tycoon in New Nottingham
· Kira Guloien (Murdoch Mysteries) as The Sheriff, a strong-willed and corrupt sheriff who runs a tight surveillance in New Nottingham
· Manuel Rodriguez (Black Summer) as Guy Gisbourne, a ruthless criminal kingpin and rapper
· Lisa Michelle Cornelius (Chucky) as activist Tressie Loxley, Robyn’s mother

Robyn Hood follows Robyn Loxley, a young woman whose masked hip-hop band, The Hood, is known for their inventive videos and anti-authoritarian message. She lives in Sherwood Towers, a community of rental high-rises in a working-class corner of New Nottingham, where the cost of living has skyrocketed, leaving an ever-widening gap between the rich and everyone else.

When Robyn finds herself fighting for her home and her family against local property developer John Prince and The Sheriff of New Nottingham, Robyn and her band The Hood decide to fight back, righting the wrongs of the corrupt elite to give back to the people.

Robyn Hood is produced by Boat Rocker in association with Corus Entertainment. The series is executive produced by Julien Christian Lutz pka Director X (Superfly, Mister Tachyon) for Creative Rain, Chris Roberts (Orphan Black, Frontier), Kerry Appleyard (Orphan Black, X-Company) for Boat Rocker, Jill Green (Alex Rider, Magpie Murders) for Eleventh Hour Films, and Luti Fagbenle (Maxxx) for Luti Media, with Boat Rocker handling global distribution. For Corus, Kathleen Meek is Production Executive; Rachel Nelson is Vice President, Original Content, Scripted, Factual and Kids; Lisa Godfrey is Senior Vice President of Original Content and Corus Studios.

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Global greenlights new original scripted series Robyn Hood

From a media release:

Today, Global announced it has greenlit a new original scripted series Robyn Hood (8×60). Created by prolific Canadian music director and renowned TV director and filmmaker Director X, and written by award-winning screenwriter Chris Roberts (Orphan Black, Frontier), the new near-fi action drama is a contemporary re-imagining of Robin Hood. The eight-episode scripted series, produced by Boat Rocker, is slated to begin production this summer in the Toronto and Hamilton area and will premiere on Global in the 2023 broadcast year. Additional information including casting and start of production for Robyn Hood will be announced at a later date.

In this modern take on the Robin Hood legend, Robyn is a fearless young woman who is not just another superhero, with abilities normal people don’t have. She is a Gen Zer driven by the injustices of today who embraces the heroic, hopeful and playful elements of the world’s most recognizable folk hero. She learns to fight for what’s right, to care for and lead her followers. And like all Robin Hoods since the first ballad, Robyn holds those in power to account by using their greed against them to help her community.

Robyn Hood follows Robyn Loxley, a young woman whose masked hip-hop band, The Hood, is known for their inventive videos and anti-authoritarian message. She lives in Sherwood Towers, a cluster of rental high-rises in a working-class corner of New Nottingham, a near-fi city where the cost of living has skyrocketed, leaving an ever-widening gap between the rich and everyone else.

When Robyn finds herself fighting for her home and her family against local property developer John Prince and The Sheriff of New Nottingham, Robyn and her band The Hood decide to fight back, righting the wrongs of the corrupt elite to give back to the people who are living under their regime.

Robyn Hood is produced by Boat Rocker in association with Corus Entertainment. The series is executive produced by Director X (Superfly, Mister Tachyon), Chris Roberts (Orphan Black, Frontier), Kerry Appleyard (Orphan Black, X-Company) for Boat Rocker Studios, Jill Green (Alex Rider, Magpie Murders) for Eleventh Hour Films, and Luti Fagbenle (Maxxx) for Luti Media, with Boat Rocker Rights handling distribution.

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