Tag Archives: Mary Berg

Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

CTV’s new daytime series, The Good Stuff with Mary Berg, debuts Sept. 5

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From a media release:

CTV confirmed today that the newest addition to its hit daytime lineup, THE GOOD STUFF WITH MARY BERG, is set to air weekdays at 10 a.m. ET/11 a.m. PT on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app, beginning Sept. 5. Taped in front of a live studio audience, the one-hour, daily Canadian talk and lifestyle series is hosted by multiple Canadian Screen Award-winning host and author, Mary Berg, and promises to be a daily dose of fun, food, and conversation.

It is a double premiere delight for Berg, with the return of her hit original culinary series MARY MAKES IT EASY, airing Tuesdays at 8 p.m. beginning Sept. 5 on CTV Life Channel, CTV.ca, and the CTV app. Filmed in her home kitchen in Toronto, the third season brings even more accessible and delectable recipes to redefine home cooking.

Full of uplifting stories, culinary delights, and engaging conversations, THE GOOD STUFF WITH MARY BERG features the latest trends in lifestyle, home hacks, and audience games – all from top experts. Berg brings the “good stuff” to CTV each day – from sharing her Recipe of The Day, to guest chefs, exciting on-location adventures, celebrating the best in youth with her Good Kids series, and more. In addition, Berg welcomes country superstar Tim McGraw, Hollywood luminary Jessica Alba, Canadian Jeopardy champion Mattea Roach, singer-songwriter Shawn Desman, and beloved children’s entertainers Sharon, Bram, and Randi to kick-off the first month.

Launched earlier this summer, MARY’S RESERVATION FOR TWO, a podcast from Bell Media Studios taped on location at some of Toronto’s top food destinations. Featuring long form interviews with guests who inspire Berg in and out of the kitchen, MARY’S RESERVATION FOR TWO is now available on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are found. In addition, Berg’s third cookbook, In Mary’s Kitchen: Stress-Free Recipes for Every Home Cook hits the shelves Oct.10, and is available for pre-order now.

THE GOOD STUFF WITH MARY BERG tapes from a brand new set at Bell Media’s iconic 299 Queen St. West location in Toronto. Tickets for the studio audience are available at thegoodstuff.ca.

THE GOOD STUFF WITH MARY BERG is produced by Bell Media Studios. Michelle Crespi and John Simpson are Executive Producers; Dave Daigle is Vice-President, Local TV, Radio, and Bell Media Studios. Pat DiVittorio is Vice-President, CTV and Specialty Programming. Justin Stockman is Vice-President, Content Development & Programming, Bell Media. Karine Moses is Senior Vice-President, Content Development & News, Bell Media and Vice Chair, Québec, Bell.

MARY MAKES IT EASY is produced by Boat Rocker’s Proper Television, in association with Bell Media. Cathie James, Lesia Capone, and Allison Grace are Executive Producers, Mary Berg is Co-Executive Producer, and David Donohue is Series Producer.

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The Good Stuff with Mary Berg

CTV orders new daytime series, The Good Stuff with Mary Berg, premiering fall 2023

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From a media release:

Announced today in advance of the Bell Media Upfront, CTV confirms it has ordered THE GOOD STUFF WITH MARY BERG, an all-new, one-hour, daily talk and lifestyle series from Bell Media Studios for the upcoming 2023/24 broadcast season. Hosted by multiple Canadian Screen Award-winning host and author Mary Berg, THE GOOD STUFF WITH MARY BERG is set to tape before a live studio audience weekday mornings on CTV from Bell Media’s iconic 299 Queen St. West location in Toronto.

A daily hour of fun, food, and laughs, THE GOOD STUFF WITH MARY BERG features lifestyle trends, home hacks, audience games, and inspiring stories – all from top experts. Berg dives right in – from sharing daily, delicious and approachable recipes for the home cook, to cook-a-long sessions with guest chefs, and getting her hands dirty with gardening, DIYs, home renovations and more. As well, Berg welcomes notable guests, including authors, celebrities, influencers, and everyday heroes.

In addition, CTV confirms that sponsorship and branding opportunities are immediately available for the original series. From brand integration and social extensions, to custom content, shoppable media and sponsored activations, THE GOOD STUFF WITH MARY BERG is set to work with brands to offer consumers engaging experiences.

Berg can currently be seen in new episodes of CROSS COUNTRY CAKE OFF, airing Fridays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app. As well, beginning July 13, Berg will host MARY’S RESERVATION FOR TWO, a brand-new podcast from Bell Media Studios, taped on location at some of the top foodie hot spots in Toronto, featuring one-on-one conversations with guests who inspire Berg in and out of the kitchen. New episodes will be available Thursdays on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are found. In addition, it was confirmed today that original culinary series MARY MAKES IT EASY has been greenlit for a third season, set to debut on CTV Life Channel this fall.

THE GOOD STUFF WITH MARY BERG is produced by Bell Media Studios. Michelle Crespi and John Simpson are Executive Producers; Dave Daigle is Vice-President, Local TV, Radio, and Bell Media Studios.

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Cross Country Cake Off

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

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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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Cross Country Cake Off, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

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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Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Preview: Mary Berg gifts us treats in holiday-themed Mary Makes it Easy

Now that the world has returned to some sort of order—at least, as much as it can—many of us will face that all too familiar dread surrounding the holidays: the Christmas meal.

A too-dry turkey, gluey mashed potatoes (of which I have been guilty) and watery pumpkin pie are just three of many mishaps that can occur when folks congregate during the holidays.

But Mary Berg has got your (and my) back this year.

Debuting Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern on CTV Life Channel with a special episode of Mary Makes it Easy called “Mary Makes it Merry,” the MasterChef Canada winner, cookbook author, celebrity chef and culinary coach aptly guides you through an easy as pie (see what I did there) bunch of recipes designed to keep you organized when family descends.

“It breaks my heart to hear that the worst part of the holidays for a lot of people is making the holiday meal. By the time you shop for the food and make the standard feast you’ve spent so long prepping, it’s no wonder you’re overwhelmed,” Mary says in a media release promoting the instalment. “With my shortcuts and time-saving strategies, I’m going to make the holidays so easy.”

It all kicks off with perhaps the easiest bread dish I’ve ever seen. I’ve struggled with making cinnamon buns in the past, eventually giving up and buying them from bakers. No more, thanks to Mary’s Cinnamon Roll Bread, which looks so simple even I could master it. The same goes for the Stuffed Turkey Roulade she tackles as the main dish. Once Mary completes a couple of sides, including dead easy cranberry sauce, I was convinced. I can, and will, do all of that for my family and more, over the holidays.

Mary Makes it Easy, “Mary Makes it Merry,” airs Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern on CTV Life Channel.

Image courtesy of Bell Media.

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