Tag Archives: Featured

Crave original series Shoresy scores fifth season renewal ahead of Season 4 premiere

From a media release:

Crave confirmed today that the puck drops on Season 4 of its smash-hit original comedy series SHORESY, Friday, Jan. 24. The six-episode fourth season premieres with two episodes on Jan. 24, followed by one new episode on subsequent Fridays. Crave also announced today that SHORESY has been renewed for a fifth season, and goes into production later this spring.

Created by and starring Jared Keeso, and produced by New Metric Media in association with Play Fun Games, the new season follows Shoresy (Keeso) as he explores life after hockey, and the Sudbury Blueberry Bulldogs contend with the distractions of summer in Sudbury, ON.

Returning cast starring alongside Keeso are: Tasya Teles (THE 100) as Nat; Blair Lamora (Paranormal Nightshift) as Ziigwan; and Keilani Rose (FLIMSY) as Miigwan. From, Montréal, QC, rapper Jonathan-Ismael Diaby stars as Dolo; and former NHL player, author, and actor Terry Ryan stars as Hitch. Ryan McDonell (THE CROSSING) stars as Michaels; and former Kahnawake Condor and MMA fighter Andrew “The Canon” Antsanen returns as Goody. Legendary all-time tough guy Jon “Nasty” Mirasty, former Carolina Hurricanes centre Brandon Nolan, and three-time Stanley Cup winner, Jordan Nolan star as Jim, Jim, and Jim, respectively. North Bay’s Bourke Cazabon stars as Cory, Listowel’s Keegan Long as Liam, Maclean Fish as Jory, and Camille Sullivan as Laura Mohr.

Guest stars appearing in SHORESY Season 4 include: TSN hockey reporter Kenzie Lalonde; TSN reporter and Olympic gold medalist Tessa Bonhomme; Meghan Chayka, co-founder of Stathletes; and former NHLers Doug Gilmour, Marty McSorley, and Sean Avery; Kim Cloutier (LETTERKENNY); Michala Brasseur (THE HANDMAID’S TALE); Celeste Ziegler (UPLOAD); Amélie McGarrell (COEUR VINTAGE); Eliana Jones (HEARTLAND); Vanessa Matsui (LETTERKENNY); and Maxim Roy (19-2). Other newcomers include Isaac Kragten (ODD SQUAD), Eric Fleising (BURDEN), Sudbury native Xander Roy, and Sudbury Wolves forward Chase Coughlan.

Developed by Bell Media for Crave, SHORESY is produced by New Metric Media, in partnership with Play Fun Games in association with Bell Media, with the participation of Canadian Media Fund, OMDC Tax Credits, and the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund, and is distributed by New Metric Media. Jared Keeso is executive producer, writer, star, and creator. Dan and Sean Skene are directors. Mark Montefiore and Kara Haflidson are Executive Producers for New Metric Media.

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The Banff World Media Festival announces new board members from Banijay, Fifth Season and YouTube, alongside leadership updates

From a media release:

The Banff World Media Festival (BANFF) is thrilled to announce the appointment of new members and a new executive appointment to its esteemed Foundation Board of Directors.

Joining the BANFF Board are three distinguished industry leaders:

  • Prentiss Fraser, President, Television Distribution, FIFTH SEASON
  • Andrew Peterson, Head of YouTube Canada
  • Jane Rimer, Senior Vice President, Canada, Banijay Rights

In addition, Patrick Vien, Group Managing Director, International at A+E Networks, has been appointed as Vice Chair of the Board, succeeding Brenda Gilbert, producer and Co-Founder of BRON Media who will be remaining on the Board of Directors.

BANFF also recognizes and thanks two retiring Board Members for their outstanding contributions:

  • Sally Catto, General Manager of Entertainment, Factual and Sports, CBC
  • Colin Bohm, Chief Executive Officer, Toon Boom Animation Inc. 

These leadership changes come on the heels of Sean Cohan, President of Bell Media, being recently named Chair of BANFF’s Board of Directors.

“This is a pivotal moment for BANFF as we continue to grow our impact on and service to the global media industry,” said Cohan. “With the addition of such accomplished leaders to our Board, we are well-positioned to advance the Festival’s mission of facilitating major business partnerships and fostering creative collaboration on new film, TV and digital projects. There is more to come as we lead up to the 2025 festival.  Stay tuned.”

Located in Banff, Alberta, Canada, BANFF is a premium marketplace and conference, an intimate space where unparalleled access, creative inspiration and expert insight combine to launch fresh content and new business strategies. With more than 45 years of history, the festival has grown into a must-attend annual event where media moguls, producers, creatives and industry stakeholders along with broadcasters and digital media companies tackle issues and trends, forge relationships and nurture partnerships in one of the world’s most stunning landscapes.

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New Maritime comedy TV series Normal Scotia premiering on Fibe TV1

From a media release:

Atlantic Canada is known for its rich culture, but is also home to many immigrants and welcomes a variety of other cultures. Normal Scotia shows the unique culture clash from the perspective of two Indian immigrants, Shiv and Manish, who recently landed in the Maritimes and found themselves working together at a curling club. After production throughout the summer, episode one of “Normal Scotia” is officially set to premiere December 4th, 2024 on Fibe TV1, with new episodes airing every Wednesday.

In its first season, Normal Scotia covers everything from funny workplace debates about arranged marriages to adjusting to Maritime cuisine after Manish gets invited to his coworker’s house for dinner. The show is a perfect blend of celebrating the culture of the Maritimes but showing it from the humorous perspective of a newcomer.

The series is co-created by Amarpal Dhillon & Charles Wahl from Halifax, NS. Amarpal was raised by Indian immigrants and uniquely positioned to contribute his perspective to the show from personal experiences. With a passion for Script writing he has produced some films over the years, but Normal Scotia marks his first TV series. Charles’ family immigrated to Canada when he was two years old, and growing up, his parents put up several of their family members from the middle east to live with them over the years. Charles is an award-winning writer and director whose short films have featured at major festivals like South by Southwest, Palm Springs International, and many more. His latest film, Paper (2024) stars Atlantic Canadian Shaun Majumder.

Whether you’ve grown up in Atlantic Canada, recently immigrated here, or simply just want to kick back and watch a funny TV show, Normal Scotia will definitely deliver. The show is the result of a passionate team who really holds this unique juxtaposition of cultures living seamlessly close to their hearts.

Viewers can watch the show on Fibe TV, channel 1 or the Fibe TV app.

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CBC announces Winter 2025 streaming and broadcast premiere dates

From a media release:

CBC today announced streaming and broadcast premiere dates for its winter 2025 slate of new and returning programming on CBC Gem and CBC TV, including more than 30 original series from Canadian creators, producers, and storytellers reflecting people, places and perspectives from across the country. The first episode of all series will be available to stream on CBC Gem starting at 9 a.m. ET on their premiere dates noted below, with a new episode available weekly at the same time unless otherwise specified. CBC TV local broadcast times are noted in parentheses (for Newfoundland and Labrador, please add half an hour to all times). CBC’s special holiday programming will be announced separately in December.

New Canadian Original Series

SAINT-PIERRE New Drama Series (10×60) – Premieres Monday January 6 (9 p.m.)

Fitz (Allan Hawco, Republic of Doyle, Jack Ryan) and Arch (Joséphine Jobert, Death in Paradise) – two seasoned officers with very different policing skills and approaches – are forced to work together to solve unique crimes in Saint-Pierre et Miquelon, the French territory just off the coast of Newfoundland.

NORTH OF NORTH New Comedy Series (8×30) – Premieres Tuesday, January 7 (9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., before continuing at 9 p.m. as of January 14)

Filmed in Iqaluit, Nunavut, Inuk actor Anna Lambe (True Detective, Trickster, The Grizzlies) stars as Siaja, a young Inuk woman who dreams of reinventing herself in her tiny Arctic community of Ice Cove, a town where everybody knows your business. After a spontaneous — and extremely public — exit from her marriage, Siaja finds herself navigating the unpredictable, and often hilarious, highs and lows that come with relationships, motherhood, a new job, and finding your way.

SMALL ACHIEVABLE GOALS New Comedy Series (8×30) – Premieres Tuesday, February 25 (9 p.m.)

Baroness von Sketch Show’s Jennifer Whalen and Meredith MacNeill star as two wildly different women in the throes of menopause, thrust together to produce a podcast. The pair embark on an unpredictable journey of transformation, helping each other through workplace challenges and office politics, dating disasters and relationship drama, and some serious health concerns. This comedy follows them on a hormonal adventure where their friendship is the key to finding solace, strength, and a new way forward.

Allegiance

Returning Series

CORONATION STREET ongoing (weekdays at 7 p.m.; Fridays at 7:30 p.m.)

FAMILY FEUD CANADA Season 6 (64×30) – Premieres Monday, December 30, airs Mondays – Thursdays (7:30 p.m.)

DRAGONS’ DEN Season 19 (12×60) – Continues Thursday, January 2 (8 p.m.)

THE NATURE OF THINGS Season 64 (11×60) – Premieres Thursday, January 2 (9 p.m.) The new season tears down stereotypes of TEENAGERS (Jan. 2) across the species, breaks into a SWEAT! (Jan. 9) exploring the complex cooling system of humans, and investigates the FOODSPIRACY (Jan. 16) behind ultra processed foods.

SKYMED Season 3 (9×60) – Premieres Sunday, January 5 (9 p.m.)

MURDOCH MYSTERIES Season 18 (22×60) – Continues Monday, January 6 (8 p.m.)

THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES Season 32 (24×30) – Continues Tuesday, January 7 (8 p.m.)

SON OF A CRITCH Season 4 (13×30) – Premieres Tuesday, January 7 (8:30 p.m.)

WILD CARDS Season 2 (13×60) – Premieres Wednesday, January 8 (8 p.m.)

HALIFAX COMEDY FEST Seasons 27 and 28 (6×30) – Premieres Tuesday, January 14 (9:30 p.m.)

ALLEGIANCE Season 2 (10×60) – Premieres Wednesday, January 15 (9 p.m.)

STUFF THE BRITISH STOLE Season 2 (8×30) – Premieres Friday, January 24 (8:30 p.m.)

CANADA’S ULTIMATE CHALLENGE Season 3 (7×60) – Premieres Thursday, February 27 (8 p.m.)

WINNIPEG COMEDY FESTIVAL Season 22 and 23 (5×60) – Premieres Sunday, March 9 (9 p.m.)

YOU’RE MY HERO Season 2 (6×15) – All episodes available to stream on CBC Gem beginning Friday, March 14

BOLLYWED Season 3 (8×30) – Premieres Thursday, March 20 (9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.)

GHOSTING WITH LUKE HUTCHIE AND MATTHEW FINLAN Season 2 (8×30) – All episodes available to stream on CBC Gem beginning Friday, March 21

Ghosting with Luke Hutchie and Matthew Finlan

CBC News

ABOUT THAT WITH ANDREW CHANG (15×30) – Continues Friday, January 10 at 8:30 p.m. on CBC TV (Weekday mornings on the CBC News streaming channel and available now on CBC Gem)

MARKETPLACE Season 52 (14×30) – Continues Friday, January 24 (8 p.m.)

THE FIFTH ESTATE Season 50 (14×60) – Continues Friday, January 24 (9 p.m.)

THE NATIONAL – ongoing (live at 10 p.m. weekdays and Sundays on CBC TV and CBC Gem)

CBC’s flagship national newscast with Chief Correspondent Adrienne Arsenault (Monday – Thursday) and Ian Hanomansing (Friday and Sunday)

CBC MORNING LIVE WITH HEATHER HISCOX (Weekday mornings on CBC TV and CBC News Network)

CANADA TONIGHT WITH TRAVIS DHANRAJ (Weeknights on CBC News Network)

POWER & POLITICS WITH DAVID COCHRANE (Weeknights on CBC News Network)

ROSEMARY BARTON LIVE (Sundays on CBC TV and CBC News Network)

CBC Sports

CBC SPORTS PRESENTS – ongoing (live on Saturday and Sunday afternoons on CBC TV and CBC Gem)

With the Olympic Winter Games Milano-Cortina 2026 on the horizon, CBC SPORTS brings audiences all the action from the world of high-performance sport with key competitions including: FIS Alpine Skiing Men’s Downhill (Jan. 25 in iconic Kitzbuhel, Austria); FIS Alpine World Ski Championships (Feb. 4 – 16, Saalbach, Austria); FIL Luge World Championship (Feb. 8, Whistler, Canada); IBSF Bobsleigh & Skeleton World Championships (Mar. 6 – 16, Lake Placid, USA); ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships (Mar. 14 – 16, Beijing, China); ISU World Speed Skating Single Distances Championships (Mar. 13 – 16, Hamar, Norway); FIS Snowboard & Freestyle Skiing World Championships (Mar. 17 – 30, Engadin, Switzerland); and ISU World Figure Skating Championships (Mar 26 – 30, Boston, USA). Canada will also host international competitors at the following World Cup events: ISU World Cup Speed Skating (Jan. 24 – 26, Calgary); FIS World Cup Freestyle Skiing (Jan. 25 – 26, Lac-Beauport, Que.); FIS World Cup Freestyle Skiing Moguls (Jan. 31 – Feb. 1, Val Saint-Côme, Que.); FIS Snowboarding World Cup (Feb. 15 – 16, Val Saint-Côme, Que.); FIS World Cup Freestyle Skiing Slopestyle (Feb. 20 – 22, Stoneham, Que.); FIS Snowboarding World Cup (Feb 21 – 22, Calgary); and FIS World Cup Freestyle Ski Cross (Mar. 12 – 15, Craigleith, Ont.). Visit cbcsports.ca for the full schedule.

CBC Kids

THE BRAVEST KNIGHT Season 2 (13×11) – Premieres Friday, December 13 on CBC Gem and Sunday, January 12 on CBC TV

Sir Cedric – a former pumpkin farmer turned knight, now grown up and married to the prince of his dreams – shares the story of his transformative journey with his 10-year-old adopted daughter, Nia. Through his stories, Nia, who is herself training to become a knight, learns important chivalric values such as honour, justice and compassion. Alan Cumming and Jane Lynch joining returning voice actors TR Knight, Christine Baranski, Wilson Cruz, Steven Weber and Bobby Moynihan.

LANA LONGBEARD New Animated Series (52×11) – Premieres Friday, December 20 on CBC Gem, with weekly episodes continuing to roll out on CBC Gem as of Friday, January 3

Twelve-year-old Lana Longbeard yearns to join her father Captain Andar on his heroic adventures at sea and leave her home island behind. When Andar decides he’s ready to hang up the hammer and retire Lana takes matters into her own hands, hijacking her father’s ship. After catching up with her Andar is inspired to continue to quest, now together with Lana on a father-daughter voyage of adventure. Set sail with LANA LONGBEARD as she sails across the ten realms with the ragtag crew of the Mighty Windbreaker ship in pursuit of glorious quests, fabulous treasure and delicious pancakes!

GANGNAM PROJECT Season 2 (10×30) – All episodes available to stream on CBC Gem beginning Monday, March 3

Season 2 follows the young K-pop performers as they transition from One Mile Entertainment trainees through the excitement and make-or-break journey of becoming professional K-pop idols. But while the highs are high, the lows can be even lower – it’s not easy suddenly being in the spotlight. With pressure from OME, expectations from the fans, and dealing with creative differences as a group, friendship and commitment are tested like never before.

Images courtesy of CBC.

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Preview: Hollywood Suite’s Creepy Bits return with perfect bite-sized horror

I’m a massive fan of Stephen King and his body of work. The first novel I read of his (at around the age of 12) was Cujo, and I quickly backtracked to read Carrie, The Shining and Salem’s Lot. But it was the short story collection, Night Shift, that truly enthralled me. Jam-packed with horrors about huge, hungry rats, a monstrous therapist and a demon-possessed industrial laundry folder, I was amazed at how King could create whole worlds and tell compelling stories on a handful of paper.

Creepy Bits reminds me of that. Returning Tuesday at 9 p.m. Eastern—and available to stream now via Hollywood Suite’s on demand option—Creepy Bits are tales of terror told in 15 minutes or less.

Created by David J. Fernandes, each of the 10 episodes delves deep into the unknown, drawing inspiration from contemporary issues and venturing into uncharted territories of fear. A diverse range of filmmakers directs each, and the stories are equally unsettling.

Every one of the stories is noteworthy, but my favourites include the first instalment, “The Massacurra Man,” written and directed by Adrian Bobb; and “Bonded,” written and directed by Ashlea Wessel. While the former is straight-up creepy and cool, the latter builds with music and atmosphere until the final, horrific moments. Honourable mentions go to “Hors d’Oeuvre,” written and directed by Fernandes; and “Route 17,” written and directed by Kelly Paoli.

Check them out if you like being scared at things that go bump in the night.

Creepy Bits airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. Eastern on Hollywood Suite and on demand.

Image courtesy of Hollywood Suite.

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