Tag Archives: Crave

From a media release:

Crave announced today a 10-episode order for PROJECT RUNWAY CANADA, the Canadian adaptation of the globally renowned fashion competition series, which sees some of the country’s most exciting designers competing in a captivating series of challenges for their ultimate industry breakthrough. The series, which is set to return to Canadian audiences, is produced in collaboration with Fashion at The Creative School, Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). Production begins this summer, and the series is slated to debut on Crave later this year. Canadian powerhouses Coco Rocha (host and judge) and Jeanne Beker (judge) are set to join PROJECT RUNWAY CANADA, helping determine who truly has what it takes to make it in the fashion industry, with additional cast to be announced soon.

Casting is now open, and designers are invited to apply at www.ctv.ca/projectrunwaycanada.

“Canada’s fashion culture and industry deserves to be celebrated, and this is the perfect moment to spotlight homegrown designers,” said Carlyn Klebuc, General Manager, Original Programming, Bell Media. “PROJECT RUNWAY is already an iconic franchise, and we can’t wait to give it a distinctly Canadian twist.”

Michela DiMondo, EVP, International Distribution, Fremantle Canada, said: “We are delighted to be working with our partners at Bell Media to launch PROJECT RUNWAY CANADA. PROJECT RUNWAY has had a profound effect on the fashion industry and is known globally for launching careers. We can’t wait to see PROJECT RUNWAY CANADA open doors for some of the country’s most inspiring fashion designers in this international renowned fashion series.”

“Fashion at The Creative School, Toronto Metropolitan University is thrilled to collaborate on PROJECT RUNWAY CANADA, an exciting initiative that supports the development, visibility, and long-term success of fashion in Canada. As the country’s leading fashion school, we’re proud to contribute our expertise and facilities in downtown Toronto to help spotlight Canadian talent and strengthen the creative industries,” said Joseph Medaglia, Chair, Fashion at The Creative School, Toronto Metropolitan University.

The PROJECT RUNWAY format is licensed for Canada from Fremantle.

When PROJECT RUNWAY debuted in 2004, the series broke new ground and helped revolutionize the reality competition genre. Since then, PROJECT RUNWAY has aired in more than 125 countries and has had a profound effect on the fashion industry, launching the careers of prolific designers, including Christian Siriano, Austin Scarlett, Leanne Marshall, Irina Shabayeva, Michael Costello, and Bishme Cromartie, among many others.

PROJECT RUNWAY CANADA is produced by Bell Media Studios. Jennifer Couke and Michelle Crespi are Executive Producers. Coco Rocha also serves as Executive Producer. Charles Falzon, Dean, The Creative School, Toronto Metropolitan University, is Executive Producer. Nicholas Vasil is Series Producer.

Featured, The Trades

Authenticity, and laughs, return for Season 2 of The Trades

March 19, 2025 Greg David

I grew up in a blue-collar town, where working in a factory was integral to the city’s survival. Heck, I even worked a summer in a factory, trucking boxes of shoes, polish, and other accessories around a maze of boxes and loading and unloading trucks. It didn’t take me long to get into the feel of the place—the razzing, the nicknames, the back-slapping and the hard work.

Needless to say, I immediately connected with The Trades when I first tuned in to Season 1 on Crave, recognizing how the staff at Imperial Valley refinery interacted as legitimate, something creator Ryan J. Lindsay strives for.

“In the current landscape of content, authenticity is paramount,” he says. “People are so distractible, the mission with this show was clear. We knew we wanted to target a blue-collar or blue-collar adjacent audience and make them laugh. In order to do so, we needed relatable characters and relatable experiences. They need to watch this show and say, ‘I know a guy like that,’ ‘I work with a guy like that,’ or ‘I know a girl who has done that.'”

Director Warren P. Sonoda (left) and Ryan J. Lindsay on set

Now back for Season 2, with two episodes dropping every Friday on the Canadian streaming service, Lindsay’s creation centres around pipefitter Todd Stool (Robb Wells, Trailer Park Boys) as he navigates his blue-collar life at a refinery with help from his family and friends. The first two episodes of Season 2 are already up and running on Crave, and saw Todd and his buddy, Backwoods (Daniel Petronijevic, Letterkenny, 19-2), swapping their Imperial Valley refinery gigs for working the pipeline. Meanwhile, work at Imperial Valley was in disarray thanks to new foreman Danny (Pat Roach, Trailer Park Boys), necessitating Todd and Backwoods’ return to get the refinery and its ragtag staff (which includes a powerhouse cast in Anastasia Phillips, Jennifer Spence, Enrico Colantoni, Tom Green, Raoul Bhaneja, Jesse Camacho, Brandon Oakes and Susan Kent) back in shape.

The first of this week’s new instalments breaks new ground for The Trades with “Night Shift,” a bottle episode (the story is contained in one location, filming at night in Hamilton, Ont.) and the first to be directed by Lindsay.

“Directing is a different kind of hot seat from showrunning, writing or producing,” he says. “You’re ultimately the one who is watching the clock. In Season 1, I had the privilege of watching director Warren P. Sonoda for three months. It was the best director training ever.

“This episode is something I’m really proud of,” he continues. “It’s different from the rest of the season, has a horror theme, and is something we have never done before.”

The Trades drops two episodes every Friday on Crave.

Images courtesy of Kontent House Inc.

Featured, Late Bloomer

From creator and star Jasmeet Raina, Season 2 of hit Crave original series Late Bloomer springs back on April 11

February 27, 2025 Greg David

From a media release:

Crave confirmed today that its critically-acclaimed original comedy series LATE BLOOMER returns for an eight-episode, second season beginning Friday, April 11, with two episodes. Produced by Pier 21 Films in association with Bell Media, the new season continues to follow millennial content creator Jasmeet Dutta (Raina) as he tries to balance his ambitions for success with his commitment to his family, community, and culture. LATE BLOOMER follows a weekly release schedule with two new episodes dropping on subsequent Fridays.

LATE BLOOMER connected with Crave audiences when it originally premiered in January 2024, ranking in the Top 10 for Canadian comedy series premieres on the streamer to date*.

Returning cast alongside Raina include Seher Khot, 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.

LATE BLOOMER is a half-hour comedy series following Jasmeet Dutta (Jasmeet Raina), a turban-wearing millennial struggling to find his place in life while balancing Eastern roots with Western ideals. Like many his age, Jasmeet feels behind in life compared to his peers, and his shared housing situation and financial status aren’t helping. Jasmeet’s video blog— sharing his journey— leads him to connect with a growing audience, but his commitment to his career often makes it harder to maintain his bond to family, relationships and culture.

LATE BLOOMER is produced by Pier 21 Films 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, and is distributed internationally by Bell Media for season two. Jasmeet Raina is Executive Producer, Star, Director, and Creator, and Baljinder Dhawan is Executive Producer. Shebli Zarghami is Executive Producer and Showrunner. Laszlo Barna, Nicole Butler, and Vanessa Steinmetz serve as Executive Producers for Pier 21 Films. Russell Peters and Clayton Peters are Executive Producers and Robbie David is Producer. Lakna Edirisinghe is Co-Executive Producer and Peter Huang is Co-Executive Producer and Director of six episodes.

Featured, Industry News, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

All-new original series Queen of the Castle begins its reign on CTV Life Channel, March 26

February 21, 2025 Greg David

From a media release:

New CTV Life Channel Original series QUEEN OF THE CASTLE becomes the crown jewel of Wednesday nights beginning March 26, as the chaotically-heartwarming docuseries airs at 8 p.m. ET on CTV Life, CTV.ca, and the CTV app, and streaming next day on Crave. The hour-long, eight-episode series follows Canadian socialite Dr. Ann Kaplan Mulholland and her entrepreneur husband Dr. Stephen Mulholland as they turn their lives upside down after the last of their six children leaves home. The two empty-nesters move to England and take on the ambitious task of turning their newly acquired medieval castle in the heart of Kent, U.K. into a luxurious world-class destination.

Set in the quiet English town of Hythe, the arrival of Ann, a force of nature with grand plans and the business savvy to pull it off, takes the local community by storm. With her husband Stephen – a world-renowned plastic surgeon– at her side, the pair are ready to give Lympne Castle the makeover of its century-long lifetime. With a dedicated team of castle staff and tradesmen supporting the renovation, they contend with construction chaos, quirky events, discerning guests, and so much more. Along the way, Ann forges unexpected friendships – from elderly neighbours to the town Vicar – and what she initially saw as a business opportunity quickly evolves into something much more personal.

In the premiere episode, “Taking the Throne” (airing Wednesday, March 26 at 8 p.m. ET on CTV Life, CTV.ca, and the CTV app, and streaming next day on Crave), Ann and Stephen become the new owners of Lympne Castle. With the deed in hand, the pair take on their first ambitious project by tackling a renovation in the castle’s new restaurant.

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 Floury Crum from Nest Productions.

Featured, The Trades

Crave’s hit original comedy The Trades heads back to work, March 14

February 10, 2025 Greg David

From a media release:

Following a trailer reveal during TSN and CTV’s broadcast of SUPER BOWL LIX, Crave confirms that its smash-hit comedy series THE TRADES returns for an eight-episode second season, on Friday, March 14. After the first two episodes drop, THE TRADES follows a weekly release schedule with two new episodes streaming on subsequent Fridays.

THE TRADES was a massive success for Crave when it originally premiered in 2024, ranking as the #1 Canadian show in 2024, and boasting the biggest first-week streaming numbers for any scripted Canadian series in Crave history.*

Produced by Trailer Park Boys Inc. and Kontent House Inc., THE TRADES continues to follow the blue-collar workers of Conch Industries refinery, including veteran pipefitter Todd (Robb Wells, TRAILER PARK BOYS), his sister Audrey (Anastasia Phillips, MOONSHINE), and site manager Chelsea (Jennifer Spence, YOU HEAR ME), as they deal with new company leadership and the shadiness that comes with it.

In Season 2, the workers face a new challenge as they encounter the company’s eccentric new owner (Jennifer Irwin, SUPERSTORE) and her unhinged policies. As chaos unfolds, they must band together to protect their livelihood and preserve their community.

Cast returning for Season 2 include Daniel Petronijevic (LETTERKENNY) as Backwoods; Enrico Colantoni (VERONICA MARS) as Jimi; Brandon Oakes (DIGGSTOWN) as Taser; Jesse Camacho (LOCKE & KEY) as Homer; Jason Daley (TRAILER PARK BOYS) as Dewey; Raoul Bhaneja (BLINDSPOT) as Medhi; Susan Kent (THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES) as Steph; Patrick McKenna (THE RED GREEN SHOW) as Rodd Stool; Aaron Poole (MOST DANGEROUS GAME) as Billy, and Tom Green (THE TOM GREEN SHOW) as Randy Bennett.

New cast joining this season, in addition to Irwin, are Dave Lawrence (Fubar) as the new burn-out permittee, Roach, Tara Spencer-Nairn (CORNER GAS) as Dewey’s sister, Daina, and Patrick Roach (TRAILER PARK BOYS) as new General Foreman, Danny McRules.

Filmed in Nova Scotia and Ontario, THE TRADES is co-produced by Trailer Park Boys Inc. and Kontent House Inc. in association with Bell Media’s Crave. Gary Howsam is executive producer; Ryan J. Lindsay is creator, writer, and executive producer, also directing one episode; Robb Wells is producer and writer, and Jonathan A. Walker is producer. Warren P. Sonoda is executive producer, directing seven episodes; Shelley Eriksen is executive producer; Andrew McMichael is co-executive producer and writer; Neha Kohli and Koumbie are associate producers and writers. John Morayniss and Virginia Rankin are executive producers for Blink49 Productions. The series is distributed by Rollercoaster Entertainment and Blink49 Distribution is the exclusive U.S. sales agent. The series is produced with the assistance of Canada Media Fund, Nova Scotia Film & Television Production Incentive Fund, Nova Scotia Content Creator Fund, the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit and Ontario Creates