Tag Archives: Insight Productions

Global Original Big Brother Canada greenlit for Season 9; host Arisa Cox named executive producer

From a media release:

Global, a Corus Entertainment network, and Insight Productions announced today the greenlight for Season 9 of Big Brother Canada, and the promotion of series Host Arisa Cox to Executive Producer. Commissioned by Corus Entertainment for Global, Big Brother Canada is produced by Insight Productions and helmed by Showrunner and EP Erin Brock.

“We have reached a turning point in history and as the fight against racism and issues facing Black, Indigenous and people of colour around the world have been pulled into the spotlight, Big Brother Canada is seizing this moment to become a leader in the reality TV world,” said Arisa Cox, Host and Executive Producer, Big Brother Canada. “Our top priority is bold, lasting change by embracing the rich diversity of Canada in front of and behind the camera. Both are vital. And as one of the biggest and best reality TV shows in the country, we have both the ability and the responsibility to do just that. I’m thrilled to join Erin and the producing team, and work together to ensure Big Brother Canada meets this moment.”

As an Executive Producer, Arisa now plays a critical role in all storytelling aspects of Big Brother Canada.  In partnership with Erin and the EPs, Arisa’s responsibilities now include key creative input on the show’s real-time storylines, casting and outreach, and increasing BIPOC representation across the board, among others. Global and Insight Productions are working together to implement anti-racism policies and procedures that foster a creative environment where equity, inclusion, and diversity can flourish on and off camera.

“Arisa Cox has been an integral part of Big Brother Canada, always armed with an arsenal of bold and bright ideas, thoughtful insights, and a deep passion for the show,” said Erin Brock Showrunner and Executive Producer, Big Brother Canada/Insight Productions. “We’re passionately committed to leading thought-provoking conversations, telling uniquely Canadian stories, and reflecting the diverse culture of Canada. Arisa has always demonstrated a fierce commitment to these ideals and I’m excited to elevate our partnership and to continue to make trailblazing content.”

Set to debut on Global in spring 2021, Big Brother Canada is one of the most internationally revered iterations of the Endemol Shine format. Pre-production for Season 9 includes a thorough review of current production practices and the development of new ones, anti-racism personnel policies, racial-equity training, and more. Additional announcements regarding Season 9, including casting opportunities, will be made at a later date.

Commissioned by Corus Entertainment, Season 9 of Big Brother Canada is produced by Insight Productions Ltd. in association with Corus Entertainment and Endemol Shine. Executive Producers are John Brunton, Erin Brock, Eric Abboud, Trevor Boris, and Arisa Cox.

Corus Entertainment’s Original Content team driving its slate of unscripted series is helmed by industry executive Lisa Godfrey as VP Original Content and supported by long-time TV veterans Krista Look (Director of Lifestyle) and Lynne Carter (Production Executive).

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Big Brother Canada Season 8 ends production amid Covid-19 pandemic

From a media release:

Global and Insight Productions announced today that, in light of developments in Ontario on the fight against COVID-19, effective today Big Brother Canada Season 8 has ended production.

“Big Brother Canada is a labour of love for so many, and even though it hurts to say goodbye to the season, it’s the right thing to do,” said Big Brother Canada Host Arisa Cox. “On behalf of the incredible people who put this show together, thank you to everyone who started this journey with us. Please take care and be safe!”

At this time, Big Brother Canada has no plans to resume production at a later date. After a truly unprecedented season, the show will take its final bow over two episodes Wednesday, March 25 at 7 p.m. ET/PT and Wednesday, April 1 at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

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All-new supersized season of Big Brother Canada premieres March 4

From a media release:

Canada’s most iconic social TV experiment is upping the ante as Global announces a supersized eighth season of Big Brother Canada kicking off with an epic two-night premiere Wednesday, March 4 at 7 p.m. ET/PT and Thursday, March 5 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, followed by the dramatic fallout on Sunday, March 8 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. With series host Arisa Cox and a new cast of unsuspecting houseguests, the series returns three nights a week with all-new episodes Wednesdays (7 p.m. ET/PT), Thursdays (8 p.m. ET/PT), and Sundays (8 p.m. ET/PT), in addition to free live feeds from inside the house at BigBrotherCanada.ca. Last season, Big Brother Canada averaged 1.2 million viewers (Ind. 2+) per episode, making it the highest-rated season to date. So just how supersized is this season? Fans will find out during the season premiere on March 4!

Building on the deluxe season ahead, and for the first-time ever, ET Canada is producing a jam-packed, one-hour Big Brother Canada Season 8 special premiering Sunday, March 1 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Big Brother Canada’s Supersized Season 8 Preview with ET Canada will feature sit-down interviews with this season’s cast, an exclusive tour of the new BBCAN house with host Arisa Cox, retrospectives on past seasons, and the biggest look-ahead with the official reveal of the show’s Season 8 theme.

Now entering its eighth season, Big Brother Canada hand-picks a group of strangers from across the country, sequesters them from the outside world, and places them inside a house outfitted wall-to-wall with cameras and microphones to capture their every move. Competing for a grand cash prize, each week the houseguests battle in a series of challenges that give them power or punishment, voting each other out until the fate of the final two is decided by a jury of fellow houseguests.

Big Brother Canada offers one of the most content-driven experiences for TV lovers, and Global has made past seasons available on both GlobalTV.com and the Global TV App. Coinciding with the season premiere, BigBrotherCanada.ca serves fans free live feeds, hit and miss moments from the show, houseguest interviews, live show votes, and more, beginning early March.

Commissioned by Corus Entertainment, Season 8 of Big Brother Canada is produced by Insight Productions Ltd. in association with Corus Entertainment and Endemol Shine. Executive Producers are John Brunton and Erin Brock.

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Food Network Canada announces Wall of Chefs

From a media release:

A wall of 12 world-class chefs, four home cooks, three culinary challenges and one grand prize at stake: Wall of Chefs (10×60) puts amateur cooks to the ultimate test. In each exhilarating stand-alone episode of Corus Studios’ Wall of Chefs, host and vibrant television personality Noah Cappe (Carnival Eats) guides four home cooks through intense rounds of culinary competition. Each challenge will test the skills and nerves of the cooks as they battle in a state-of-the-art kitchen under the towering shadow and watchful eye of “The Wall” – comprised of a revolving panel of Canada’s most notable chefs. The competitors battle it out until the final round where the wall of culinary icons ultimately declares the winner, awarding the $10,000 prize. The groundbreaking new Canadian original series makes its debut February 3 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Food Network Canada.

Wall of Chefs features an unmatched, star-studded slate of 33 Canadian culinary icons and trailblazers on rotation throughout the 10-episode run of the season. The chefs span from Vancouver, B.C. to St. John’s, N.L., representing diverse cultures and cuisines, while bringing different perspectives and opinions to the forum.

The Wall of Chefs cast of culinary icons include:

  • Hugh Acheson – Atlanta, Ga. (5&10, The National, Empire State South, Spiller Park Coffee)
  • Suzanne Barr – Toronto, Ont. (True True Diner)
  • Victor Barry – Toronto, Ont. (Piano Piano Restaurant, Café Cancan)
  • Christa Bruneau-Guenther – Winnipeg, Man. (Feast Café Bistro)
  • Massimo Capra – Toronto, Ont.  (Capra’s Kitchen, Massimo’s Italian, Boccone, Soprafino)
  • Shane Chartrand – Edmonton, Alta. (SC)
  • Alex Chen – Vancouver, B.C. (Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar)
  • Christine Cushing – Toronto, Ont.
  • Lynn Crawford – Toronto, Ont. (Ruby Watchco, The Hearth)
  • Meeru Dhalwala – Vancouver, B.C. (Vij’s)
  • Fisun Ercan – Montreal, Que. (Su)
  • Rob Feenie – Vancouver, B.C. (Cactus Club Cafe)
  • Michele Forgione – Montreal, Que. (Impasto, Pizzeria Gema, Chez Tousignant, Vesta)
  • Marysol Foucault – Gatineau, Que. (Edgar)
  • Rob Gentile – Toronto, Ont. (Bar Buca, Buca Osteria & Bar, Buca Osteria & Enoteca)
  • Mandel Hitzer – Winnipeg, Man. (deer + almond)
  • Nick Hodge – Montreal, Que. (Icehouse)
  • Renée Lavallée – Dartmouth, N.S. (The Canteen and Little C)
  • Jinhee Lee – Calgary, Alta. (Foreign Concept)
  • Susur Lee  – Toronto, Ont. (Lee, Kid Lee, Lee Kitchen, Tunglok Heen)
  • Nick Liu – Toronto, ON (Dailo, Little Dailo)
  • Dale Mackay – Saskatoon, Sask. (Ayden Kitchen & Bar, Sticks and Stones, Little Grouse, Avenue)
  • Darren MacLean – Calgary, Alta. (Shokunin)
  • Mark McEwan – Toronto, Ont. (Bymark, One, Fabbrica, Diwan)
  • Corinna Mozo – Toronto, Ont. (La Cubana)
  • Todd Perrin – St. John’s, N.L. (Mallard Cottage, Waterwest Kitchen and Meats)
  • Christie Peters – Saskatoon, Sask. (The Hollows, Primal)
  • Guy Rawlings – Toronto, Ont. (Montgomery’s)
  • Nuit Regular – Toronto, Ont. (PAI Northern Thai Kitchen, Sabai Sabai, Sukho Thai, Kiin)
  • Danny Smiles – Montreal, Que. – (Le Bremner)
  • Alida Solomon – Toronto, Ont. (Tutti Matti)
  • Jesse Vergen – Saint John, N.B. (Saint John Ale House, Toro Taco, Barred Rock, Smoking Pig, McGill’s)
  • Joël Watanabe – Vancouver, B.C. (Bao Bei, Kissa Tanto)

In every episode, four amateur cooks face off in culinary challenges judged by 12 of Canada’s most renowned chefs, known as “The Wall”. The first round is the “Crowd-Pleaser” where four home cooks are tasked with making their signature crowd-pleasing dish to impress the chef judges. One home cook is eliminated, and the three remaining home cooks move forward to compete in the “Chef’s Fridge” challenge where they must use staple ingredients of the selected chef’s fridge in their dish. In the third round, the final two home cooks face off in the “Restaurant-Worthy” challenge, where they are tasked to make a dish based on one of the chef judge’s most popular and well-known culinary creations. In the end, only one cook will be left standing, claiming $10,000 and the respect of the wall of chefs. The home cooks from across the country taking on the ultimate challenge in the Wall of Chefs kitchen will be announced at a later date.

Foodnetwork.ca offers exclusive Wall of Chefs content, including a closer look at the stellar cast of chef judges from across the country. Viewers can look forward to food trend videos, special interviews, a glimpse into the fridges of the expert celebrity chefs and much more. In addition, full episodes will be available online the day after broadcast.

Wall of Chefs is produced by Insight Productions in association with Corus Studios for Food Network Canada. Executive Producers are John Brunton, Mark Lysakowski and Eric Abboud and Series Producer is Erica Lenczner.

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CTV renews most-watched Canadian series of the year, The Amazing Race Canada

From a media release:

On the heels of the Season 7 finale last night, CTV today announced that THE AMAZING RACE CANADA has been renewed for an eighth season, welcoming a new group of racers to the starting line when it returns in 2020. An average audience of more than 1.9 million viewers tuned in weekly to THE AMAZING RACE CANADA this summer on CTV, making it not only the most-watched series of the summer but also the top Canadian series of the 2018/19 broadcast year.

Hosted by Olympic gold medallist Jon Montgomery, casting details for THE AMAZING RACE CANADA will be announced soon, and brand integration opportunities for Season 8 are now available.

With final data of the complete season to be reported in the coming weeks, season-to-date THE AMAZING RACE CANADA drew larger audiences in Season 7 than the previous year among total viewers and in all key demos, seeing a double-digit growth with A18-34 (+38%) and A18-49 (+12%). The series was the most-watched summer program for an incredible seventh year in-a-row among the key A25-54 demographic.

The current season of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA is streaming on CTV.ca and the CTV app, and will join the all-new Crave, along with previous seasons of the series, on Friday, Sept. 13.

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