Tag Archives: Insight Productions

Battle of the Blades

CBC announces complete lineup of figure skaters for Battle of the Blades

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From a media release:

CBC today announced the complete lineup of figure skaters confirmed to compete live in the new season of hit returning series BATTLE OF THE BLADES (Season 5, 1×120, 6×60), with additional skaters rounding out the team who will be paired with hockey players to vie for the Season 5 championship. BATTLE OF THE BLADES, the highest-rated original English-language Canadian format of all time* and produced by Insight Productions, launches with a special two-hour premiere on Thursday, September 19 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) on CBC and the free CBC Gem streaming service. The complete lineup of hockey players, as well as the pairings for the competition, will be announced in the coming weeks.

First-time competitors include three-time World Ice Dance medallists, Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje, and two-time World Pairs champion, and two-time Olympic Games medallist, Eric Radford. Season 2 winner and two-time Olympic Games gold medallist in pairs skating, Ekaterina Gordeeva, and Season 4 winner and Olympian in pairs skating, Amanda Evora, will return to the ice. They join previously announced figure skaters Vanessa James and Violetta Afanasieva.

Ice dancers Weaver and Poje have represented Canada internationally for 13 years. These beloved fan-favourites have won three World Ice Dance medals, two gold medals at the Grand Prix Final Championships and three Canadian Ice Dance titles. They have represented Canada in ice dancing twice at the Olympic Games, placing seventh at Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2018.

Radford is a two-time Olympic Games medallist with pairs partner Meagan Duhamel with whom he also won back-to-back World Championship titles in 2015 and 2016, including an undefeated season in 2015. The pair won their seventh consecutive Canadian pairs’ title in 2018, setting an all-time record. Radford and Duhamel were part of the Canadian figure skating team’s silver medal at Sochi 2014, and gold at PyeongChang 2018. Radford is the only openly gay male to have won an Olympic Games gold medal.

Gordeeva and late pairs partner and husband Sergei Grinkov are two-time Olympic Games gold medallists, four-time World champions, and two-time European champions. Icons of Russian pair skating, Gordeeva and Grinkov are still considered the greatest of all time. Since her tragic loss, Gordeeva has gone on as a soloist and continues to perform worldwide. Gordeeva and partner Valeri Bure won Season 2 of BATTLE OF THE BLADES, with $100,000 for both Cardiac Kids and Compassion Canada charities.

Evora is a five-time pairs medallist at the U.S. Championships with former partner Mark Ladwig, with whom she represented Team U.S.A. at multiple international competitions including two World Championships over the span of 10 years. Evora and Ladwig competed on the American figure skating team for the Olympic Winter Games Vancouver 2010.  In 2013, Evora and partner Scott Thornton won the fourth season of BATTLE OF THE BLADES, winning $100,000 for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

Returning this fall, BATTLE OF THE BLADES combines athletes from two of Canada’s favourite sports — figure skating and hockey — as they pair up in a live, high-stakes figure skating competition for the charity of their choice. Hockey Night in Canada’s Ron MacLean will reprise his role as host, with four-time Canadian and four-time World champion figure skater Kurt Browning returning as head judge. Beloved Canadian Olympic Games ice dance champions, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, will be rink-side with him as guest judges for select episodes. Previously announced hockey players for the new iteration of the hugely popular format include hockey players Sheldon Kennedy and Natalie Spooner. First launched in 2009, BATTLE OF THE BLADES was broadcast on CBC from 2009—2013 (4 seasons, 57 episodes) and remains the highest-rated original English-language Canadian format of all time.*

A CBC original series, BATTLE OF THE BLADES is produced by Insight Productions. The series is executive produced by Insight’s John Brunton, Lindsay Cox, Erin Brock, and Mark Lysakowski and is co-created and executive produced by Olympian and World & Canadian Figure Skating Hall of Famer Sandra Bezic. 

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Battle of the Blades

CBC announces the return of Battle of the Blades

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From a media release:

CBC today announced the return of hit competition series BATTLE OF THE BLADES (Season 5, 8×60), from Insight Productions. Returning this fall, the revitalized series combines athletes from two of Canada’s favourite sports — figure skating and hockey — as they pair up in a live, high-stakes figure skating competition. In this new iteration of the hugely popular format, teams will once again compete for the charity of their choice. Further details will be announced later this spring.

First launched in 2009, BATTLE OF THE BLADES was broadcast on CBC from 2009 – 2013 (4 seasons, 57 episodes) and remains the highest-rated original English-language Canadian format of all time.*

A CBC original series, BATTLE OF THE BLADES is produced by Insight Productions. The series is executive produced by Insight’s John Brunton, Lindsay Cox, Erin Brock, and Mark Lysakowski and is co-created and executive produced by Olympian and World & Canadian Figure Skating Hall of Famer Sandra Bezic. For CBC, Sally Catto is General Manager, Programming; Jennifer Dettman is Executive Director, Unscripted Content; and Susan Taylor is Executive in Charge of Production.

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Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Intervention Canada premieres on T+E, April 1 at 9 p.m. ET

From a media release:

As announced today, the next season of the powerful docu-series Intervention Canada will premiere on its new home, T+E, beginning April 1 at 9 p.m. ET. In each episode, viewers get an up-close and personal look at the life of an addict and their family who are desperately trying to help them. The series premieres on T+E during its current free preview, which began March 4 and runs until May 4.

Intervention Canada provides an unflinching glimpse at the horrifying reality of the life of an addict, as well as the gut-wrenching toll their addiction takes on their family and friends. With the help of professional interventionists Andrew Galloway, Maureen Brine, Jesse Hanson, and Geri Bemister, each episode culminates in a dramatic intervention where the subject must make a life-and-death decision – continue their descent to rock bottom alone, or accept the offer of a clear path to recovery in one of Canada’s top addiction treatment facilities. This season, the series looks at addictions and dependencies on alcohol, crystal meth, cocaine, opioids, and eating disorders. Intervention Canada is based on the hit A+E format and is now in its fifth season.

Select storylines on this season of Intervention Canada include:

  • An expectant mother in BC who is determined to free her partner from a deadly fentanyl addiction before the birth of their child;
  • Three Ontario born siblings struggling to save their father from the grips of crippling alcoholism;
  • A four-time Canadian MMA fighting champion grappling to overcome an addiction to crystal meth both for the sake of his son, and ultimately his own life.

Intervention Canada is produced by Open Door Co. and Insight Productions, in association with Blue Ant Media. Executive Producers are Tom Powers for Open Door Co. and John Brunton and John Murray for Insight Productions. The Series Producer is Thomas Chenoweth. Sam Linton is Head of Original Content at Blue Ant Media.

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Industry News

Blue Ant Media unveils biggest-ever slate of new original programming for its Canadian channels

From a media release:

Blue Ant Media, an international content producer, distributor and channel operator, announced today its new, original production slate to air across its channels in Canada, including Cottage Life, Makeful and T+E. The company’s largest-ever commissioning order includes two new series to premiere on Makeful, including a second season of Crazy Beautiful Weddings and Blown Away, a brand new glass-blowing competition series, co-produced with Netflix. For T+E, there’s a trio of paranormal series including My Worst Nightmare, Haunted Hospitals and Paranormal 911 as well as Intervention Canada, the fifth season of the critically acclaimed hit docu-series, in partnership with U.S.-based A+E Networks. New Cottage Life programming includes the brand new series, The Weather Files, a second season of Lakefront Luxury, the ninth season of Hope For Wildlife and the previously announced Great Canadian Cottages docu-series with Scottish design stars Colin and Justin.

Blue Ant Media’s original programming slate includes:

Blown Away (10×30’; HD) is a co-production with Netflix that sees a group of talented and creative artisans from all over North America compete over the course of the series in the highly skilled art of glass blowing. In each episode the glass blowers create beautiful works of art, which are assessed by a panel of expert judges. One artisan is eliminated each week until a winner is announced in the final episode. Blown Away is a co-production between Blue Ant Media and Netflix and was created by and will be produced by marblemedia. The series will premiere exclusively in Canada on Makeful in Spring 2019.

Crazy Beautiful Weddings, Season 2 (10×30’; HD) The second season of Crazy Beautiful Weddings follows indie wedding planner Lynzie Kent as she continues to create jaw-dropping celebrations that are inspired by the unique love stories of her clients. Each episode sees Lynzie and her team design and craft atypical wedding celebrations that feel like art installations or music festivals. The series is a co-production by Blue Ant Media and UP TV and is set to air on Makeful in Fall 2018. It will be available for international licensing by Blue Ant International.

Intervention Canada (10×60’; HD) is the fifth installment of the Canadian version of the hit, Emmy Award-winning A+E docu-series that gives an unflinching glimpse at the horrifying reality of the life of an addict and the gut-wrenching toll their addiction takes on family and friends. With the help of professional interventionists, each one-hour episode culminates in a dramatic real-life intervention where someone must make a life-or-death decision: continue their descent to rock bottom alone, or accept the offer of a clear path to recovery in one of Canada’s top addiction facilities. Blue Ant Media is partnering on the format with A+E Networks. Toronto’s Open Door Co and Insight Productions, which produced the previous four seasons, will also produce the fifth season. Intervention Canada will premiere in Canada on T+E in March 2019.

My Worst Nightmare (10×60’; HD) explores harrowing recurring nightmares and brings them to life in vivid detail. With cinematic nightmare dramatizations, captivating true accounts and distinct expert analysis from dream interpreters and psychoanalysts, each episode attempts to decode the meaning and mystery behind the dream and provide insight into these intrusive nightmares. My Worst Nightmare is produced by Pixcom for Blue Ant Media and will premiere on T+E in spring 2019. The series is available for international licensing by Blue Ant International.

Haunted Hospitals (10×60’; HD) tells the chilling stories of paranormal activity inside hospitals, nursing homes and morgues. In each episode, doctors, nurses and patients give first-hand accounts of deceased patients who come back from the grave, doctors who insist on tending to their patients, even in death, and spirits who stalk corridors to warn of impending danger. As the personal stories unfold, the mysteries behind the troubled souls and hauntings are brought to life. Haunted Hospitals is produced by Bristow Global Media for Blue Ant Media and will premiere on T+E in fall 2018.

Paranormal 911 (13×60’; HD) is a gripping, docu-drama series with harrowing first-person accounts that thrusts viewers into the terrifying encounters of victims and emergency responders who lived through terrifying paranormal encounters. Paranormal 911 is produced by Bristow Global Media for Blue Ant Media and is set to premiere on T+E in spring 2019.

Lakefront Luxury, Season 2 (10×30’; HD) continues with even more stunning views, gorgeous waterfronts and serene sunsets. With unlimited budgets and endless wish lists, each episode takes viewers on a tour of three opulent properties with potential buyers, as they weigh their options and ultimately decide which home is the one for them. Lakefront Luxury is produced by Architect Films for Blue Ant Media and will premiere on Cottage Life in spring 2019. The series is available for international licensing by Blue Ant International.

Hope for Wildlife, Season 9 (10×60’; HD) is back with an impressive season of episodes that follow fan-favourite nature advocate Hope Swinimer and her team as they rescue animals at her Halifax-based wildlife refuge and release them back into the wild. In this season, viewers will meet a whole new generation of volunteers, a new, on-site vet team and an exciting new partnership with an expert rescue crew. Produced by Arcadia Content for Blue Ant Media, the series will premiere on Cottage Life in Spring 2019. The series is available for international licensing by Blue Ant International.

The Weather Files (8×60’; HD) is a new documentary series that shines a spotlight on extreme weather patterns. The series travels across North America chronicling severe weather phenomena and features riveting first-person testimony and original video backed by leading scientific insight to give viewers an in-depth look at the unpredictability and danger that extreme and mysterious weather brings. The Weather Files is produced by Blue Ant Media and set to air on the Cottage Life channel in August 2018. The series is distributed internationally by Blue Ant International.

Previously announced, Great Canadian Cottages (8×30’; HD) brings renowned design duo Colin and Justin back to the channel with a documentary series that explores unique Canadian cottage architecture. Produced by Architect Films, the series will delve into the fascinating stories of Canadians who live in extraordinary cottages and cabins built in the Canadian wilderness. Great Canadian Cottages is set to premiere exclusively this fall on the Cottage Life channel. The series is available for international licensing by Blue Ant International.

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Industry News

Link: ‘Orphan Black’ maker buys majority stake in ‘SCTV’ reunion co-producer Insight

From Etan Vlessing of The Hollywood Reporter:

Link: ‘Orphan Black’ maker buys majority stake in ‘SCTV’ reunion co-producer Insight
Orphan Black producer Boat Rocker Media has nabbed a majority stake in rival Canadian producer Insight Productions.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Insight’s founder and CEO John Brunton will continue to lead the company under the Boat Rocker banner. Continue reading.

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