CBC brings one of the world’s most successful game shows to Canadians with

FAMILY FEUD CANADA hosted by Gerry Dee

Ron MacLean returns to the rink as host and Kurt Browning as head judge for the new season of BATTLE OF THE BLADES, with Olympic ice dance champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir announced as guest judges

New original scripted series include spy drama FORTUNATE SON set in the social and political chaos of 1968; Canada/New Zealand thriller THE SOUNDS; sketch comedy TALLBOYZ;

and TRICKSTER based on Eden Robinson’s award-winning novels

Showcasing Canadians across the country, new factual entertainment includes time-travelling adventure BACK IN TIME FOR WINTER; original CBC format FRIDGE WARS;

and HIGH ARCTIC HAULERS, a high-stakes journey at sea

Samuel L. Jackson leads blue-chip documentary series ENSLAVED, tracing the history of slavery through underwater archaeology

DIGGSTOWN, THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES and WORKIN’ MOMS join CBC’s slate of

32 returning series across all genres - new hosts Aurora Browne and Carolyn Taylor (Baroness von Sketch Show) enter THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW tent

CBC Radio & Audio builds on record audience share and podcasting leadership
with streaming platform CBC LISTEN and new slate of original CBC PODCASTS

May 29, 2019 – CBC today revealed its 2019-20 slate of original programming including drama, comedy, factual, arts, music, kids, sports, news and documentary storytelling across television, radio and streaming platforms, showcasing diverse Canadian voices and perspectives.

“As Canada’s public broadcaster, we are committed to building stronger relationships with Canadians of all ages by providing them with relevant and engaging content across all genres and platforms,” said Barbara Williams, Executive Vice-President, English Services, CBC. “It is more important than ever that we better reflect more of the country we serve and connect a broader range of Canadians to their communities, their country and the rest of the world.”  

New CBC original series confirmed for the 2019-20 broadcast and streaming season include:

 **Photos from select new CBC original titles can be found here.**

Comedy:

TALLBOYZ (8x30, Fall 2019 – Accent Entertainment) features the four members of acclaimed Toronto-based sketch comedy troupe TallBoyz II Men - Tim Blair, Guled Abdi, Franco Nguyen, and Vance Banzo - as they alternate between playing heightened versions of themselves and sliding into absurd sketches about friendship, politics, bro culture and everyday life. Executive producers are Bruce McCulloch (The Kids in the Hall, Young Drunk Punk) and Susan Cavan (The Kids in the Hall: Death Comes to Town, Young Drunk Punk).

Drama:

FORTUNATE SON (8x60, Winter 2020 - Seven24 Films and Lark Productions) from the producers of Heartland and the producers of Motive, is a spy drama set in the social and political chaos of 1968, inspired by a true story. Pursued into Canada by the FBI, the matriarch of an American activist family helps smuggle Vietnam war deserters and draft dodgers across the border. What she doesn't know is that one of the deserters is an agent of the CIA sent to spy on her. Created by Andrew Wreggitt (Jack, Borealis (Survival Code)) who also serves as showrunner, the series is executive produced by Tom Cox, Jordy Randall and Erin Haskett. Stefan Schwartz (The Americans, Dexter) is the show's lead director.  

THE SOUNDS (8x60, 2020 - Canada/New Zealand co-production, Shaftesbury and South Pacific Pictures) is a striking take on the relationship-driven thriller. Welcome to Pelorus Sounds, New Zealand – the sleepy settlement where nothing, including the visiting Cabbotts, is quite what it seems. Grieving wives, cheating husbands, epic embezzlement and historic crime all collide to weave a complicated web stretching through the Sounds’ hidden valleys and deep waters. Created by New Zealand-based author Sarah-Kate Lynch and directed by Peter Stebbings (Frankie Drake Mysteries, The Disappearance).

TRICKSTER (6x60, 2020 - Sienna Films), adapted from the ‘Son of a Trickster’ trilogy of books by award-winning author Eden Robinson and co-created by Michelle Latimer (Rise, The Inconvenient Indian) and Tony Elliott (12 Monkeys, Orphan Black), TRICKSTER is a darkly humorous coming-of-age story — a mash-up of dysfunctional family drama and supernatural thriller.  The series follows Jared, an Indigenous teen struggling to keep his family above water when a mysterious stranger, Wade, blows into town and turns his already chaotic life inside out. And when weird things start happening, it becomes clear that he’s also the mythic magical being the Trickster. What begins as an unnerving slow burn of strange events in Jared’s already-messy life crescendos to an epic clash of magic, monsters and mayhem.

Documentary:

ENSLAVED (6x60, Winter 2020 -Associated Producers/A CBC Gem and documentary channel co-production with Epix in the United States), a blue-chip documentary series led by Samuel L. Jackson and directed by Canadian filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici (The Naked Archaeologist) that charts the history of slavery through underwater archaeology. The series coincides with the 400-year anniversary of the first African brought to the New World as a slave, and will retrace the harrowing sea voyage that brought millions to a life of slavery. ENSLAVED is produced by Felix Golubev and Ric Bienstock and executive produced by Samuel L. Jackson, LaTanya Jackson, Eli Selden, Rob Lee, Simcha Jacobovici and Yaron Niski. International distribution by Fremantle.

Factual Entertainment:

BACK IN TIME FOR WINTER (7x60, Winter 2020 - 3Bird Media, eOne) Based on the audience favourite Back in Time for Dinner, this series follows one modern family on a winter time-travelling adventure, as they take on 60 years of iconic outdoor activities and trends in cold-weather food, fashion, domestic work and technology. Beginning in the 1940s, each week the Carlson family will leave their modern comforts behind and enter a new era of winters’ past. They’ll experience firsthand how growing affluence, innovations in style, technology, and increasing global influence have transformed Canadian winterlife.

BATTLE OF THE BLADES (1x120, 6 x 60, Fall 2019 - Insight Productions) Canada’s most-watched English-language original format* returns with 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. CBC today announced that Canadian icons Ron MacLean of Hockey Night in Canada and Rogers Hometown Hockey and four-time Canadian and four-time World champion figure skater Kurt Browning will return for the new season as host and head judge, respectively, while beloved Olympic ice dance champions, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, will appear as guest judges. Participating in the competition are hockey players Sheldon Kennedy and Natalie Spooner and figure skaters Vanessa James and Violetta Afanasieva. For more information, click here. 

FAMILY FEUD CANADA (60x30, late Fall 2019 - Zone 3, Fremantle) One of television's longest-running and top-rated game shows watched by audiences around the world comes to CBC with a Canadian spin. Hosted by actor and comedian Gerry Dee (Mr. D), FAMILY FEUD CANADA will showcase Canadian families from across the country as they compete to guess the most popular answers to fun, family-friendly survey questions from a sample of Canadians. First introduced in the U.S. in 1976, the much-loved, iconic game show has been picked up in 71 international markets to date.

FRIDGE WARS (6x60, Winter 2020 - an original CBC format produced in association with The Gurin Company) is a new original unscripted format that will showcase Canadian families across the country by revealing what’s in their fridge, and pits two celebrity chefs against one another to make the best meal possible using only the ingredients they find in the families’ kitchens.

HIGH ARCTIC HAULERS (7x60, Winter 2020 – Great Pacific Media, a Thunderbird Company) follows the high-stakes drama at sea as shipping crews battle ice and treacherous tides to keep the towns at the top of the world supplied and alive.  It's an obstacle course of a delivery route that extends to the most Northerly town in Canada. For the people who live in the High Arctic, there is no option - the haul MUST get through.             

YOU CAN’T ASK THAT (8x30, all episodes available June 14 on CBC Gem, Winter on CBC Television - Pixcom), based on the unscripted format from ABC Australia. Each episode asks a group of people with the same disability the awkward, inappropriate or uncomfortable questions you were always too afraid to ask. It’s an audacious, touching and funny series that is guaranteed to entertain while challenging assumptions about life with a disability. This is the first CBC series to use Integrated Described Video (IDV).

RETURNING SERIES

Two of the co-creators, executive producers and stars of CBC’s critically acclaimed and award-winning Baroness von Sketch Show - Aurora Browne and Carolyn Taylor - join THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW tent as hosts for the upcoming third season. Bruno Feldeisen returns to the judge's table, joined by esteemed Toronto-born pastry chef and entrepreneur Kyla Kennaley, best known for launching the acclaimed commercial bakery Madeleines Cherry Pie and Ice Cream, and appearing as the regular in-house pastry expert on CBC talk show Steven and Chris. 

In addition to previously announced returning series, the following titles are also confirmed to return
(see end of release for a complete list of 32 CBC returning titles):

CORONATION STREET continues with new episodes this fall

DIGGSTOWN (6x60, Season 2, winter 2020 - Circle Blue Entertainment and Freddie Films)

HA!IFAX COMEDY FEST (6x30, Season 24, fall 2019 - Pilot Light Productions)

JUST FOR LAUGHS: GALAS (4x60, 2019-2020 - Just For Laughs TV)

THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES (19x30, Season 27, fall 2019 - DHX Media)

WHEN CALLS THE HEART (10x60, Season 5, July 7)

WINNIPEG COMEDY FESTIVAL (5x60, Season 18, winter 2020 - Frantic Films)

WORKIN’ MOMS (8x30, Season 4, winter 2020 - Wolf + Rabbit Entertainment)

CBC's award-winning news, investigative and documentary programming also returns:

CBC DOCS POV (18x60, Season 5, summer 2019)
Premieres with Drag Kids, introducing four remarkable children who aren't afraid to hold their own in the adult world of competitive voguing and lip synching.

THE FIFTH ESTATE (Season 45)

MARKETPLACE (Season 47)

THE NATIONAL

THE NATURE OF THINGS (18x60, Season 59, fall 2019) *moves to Friday evenings*
Launches with The Trimates (working title), a two-hour special narrated by Sandra Oh about a new generation of female primatologists and their study of our closest relatives, the great apes.

TAKEN (8x30, Season 3, June 14 - Eagle Vision Inc.)

THE WEEKLY WITH WENDY MESLEY (Season 3)

CBC KIDS

CBC Kids is expanding CBC Kids News to better serve young Canadians with the launch of a CBC Kids News weekly news show on CBC and CBC Gem. Launching this fall and hosted by kids, the show will break down the stories that matter most to young Canadians and invite them to share their opinions, making their voices heard from coast to coast to coast. Other new series for kids and tweens this year include ENDLINGS (12x30, Winter 2019-20, Sinking Ship), a sci-fi adventure about four foster kids who make a startling discovery that affects the entire universe; KINGDOM FORCE (26x22, Industrial Brothers, CBC co-production with Boat Rocker Studios), an animated adventure about animals who use some unique skills to protect their community from danger; and MOLLY OF DENALI (38x30, Fall 2019, Atomic Cartoons, CBC Kids co-production with PBS), a charming action-adventure following the adventures of a feisty and resourceful 10-year-old Indigenous girl.

These new series are part of CBC’s goal to broaden and double the amount of kids’ content available on CBC Gem over the next year. This commitment includes acquired content from Canadian and international distributors, with the streaming service currently offering more than 200 hours of advertising-free programming for young Canadians.

CBC GEM

CBC Gem is Canada’s streaming service, offering more than 4000 hours of acclaimed, authentically Canadian programming including original series, 200 hours of ad-free content for kids and tweens, more than 750 documentary titles and more than 100 Canadian films, with a new film added each week. The following selection represents just some of the new titles that will launch on the streaming service this year.

CBC Short Docs:

SHORT ROUND UP (Nobu Adilman, July 5) 35 years after a fateful audition, Adilman goes in search of all the men who, as boys, auditioned to be “Short Round” in Steven Spielberg’s Indiana Jones and the Temple Of Doom; A SWEET & SOUR CHRISTMAS (Aram Collier, December 6) Take out and eat in, Christmas Day at the King Wok restaurant means feeding families, one deep-fried chickenball at a time; and KING LAJOIE (Joannie Lafrenière, December 6) KING LAJOIE explores the kitsch universe of an Elvis impersonator from small-town Quebec - from his 88-year-old parents to his astrologer, his octogenarian secretary and a young impersonator following in his footsteps. 

CBC Gem Originals:

HOW TO BUY A BABY (10x10, Season 2, August 23 - LoCo Motion Pictures), after rounds of failed and expensive infertility treatments, the dark comedy finds Jane (Meghan Heffern) and Charlie (Marc Bendavid) in the throes of adoption, a process steeped in paperwork, parenting classes, home inspections and difficult decisions about just how far they are willing to go to become parents.

JENSPLAINING (10x12, August 23 - Peacock Alley Entertainment), an educational series with an unapologetic sense of humour that features Dr. Jen Gunter as she destroys the pseudoscience behind many popular health trends. Dr. Jen is here to help us understand how these health and beauty myths are anything but harmless.

International Series:

CBC and CBC Gem will be the home for the Canadian premiere of WILD BILL (Drama, 6x60, 42, MultiStory Media and Anonymous Content, UK), starring six-time Golden Globe® nominee Rob Lowe (The West Wing, Parks and Recreation) as a high-flying US police chief who arrives in the UK to shake up the East Lincolnshire Police Force - and his own life in the process. The series is distributed by ITV Studios Global Entertainment.

Additional acclaimed international series streaming on CBC GEM this year include the exclusive Canadian premieres of DAS BOOT (Drama, 8x60, Bavaria Fiction GbmH, Germany), the award-winning sequel to the original film, starring Lizzy Caplan (Castle Rock, Masters of Sex) and Vicky Krieps (Phantom Thread), and Emmy®-nominated doc parody series DOCUMENTARY NOW! (Comedy, Seasons 1-3, Broadway Video, USA) starring Fred Armisen and Bill Hader; as well as THE LITTLE DRUMMER GIRL (Drama, 6x60, BBC Studios, AMC Studios, The Ink Factory and 127 Wall Productions, UK) with Florence Pugh and Alexander Skarsgård (Big Little Lies, True Blood) based on John Le Carré’s best-selling book; UK thriller MOTHERFATHERSON (Drama, 8x60, BBC Studios and BBC Two Films, UK) starring Richard Gere, Helen McCrory (Peaky Blinders, Penny Dreadful) and Billy Howle (Outlaw King, Dunkirk) ; and new seasons of LUTHER (Season 5) and PORTLANDIA (Seasons 6-8).

CBC LISTEN

The new CBC LISTEN app officially launches this fall as the one-stop destination for all CBC Music, CBC Podcasts and CBC Radio content. Audiences can hear their favourite local and national CBC Radio One and CBC Music shows, live or on-demand, for free, as well as access to more than 175 curated music playlists featuring brand-new releases from Canadian artists.

CBC PODCASTS

CBC Podcasts, Canada’s #1 podcaster with more than 20 million downloads on average each month, unveils a diverse slate of new and returning original podcasts for the upcoming year.

New original podcasts:

CHOSEN FAMILY (June 19, Season 2), Montreal comedians and queer BFFs Thomas LeBlanc and Tranna Wintour explore the intersection of art, community and sexuality.

UNCOVER: THE CAT LADY CASE (July 9, Season 4), the investigative series continues with a look into the cold case of seniors who went missing from the Muskokas without a trace.

UNCOVER: SHARMINI (September 10, Season 5), the investigative series follows reporter Michelle Shephard as she revisits a 20-year-old murder that remains unsolved.

HUNTING WARHEAD (Fall), shining a light on the darkest corners of the dark web with this exploration of a task force that includes journalists and police officers.

THE STORY STORE (Fall), a collaboration between CBC Podcasts and CBC Kids, The Story Store is open for business! Run by Mr. Orlando the Moose and Gary the Unicorn, The Story Store takes orders from real kids across Canada and turns their suggestions into hilarious, fun-filled adventures for kids, grandparents and everyone in between.

ASKING FOR IT (Winter), Kaitlin Prest (The Shadows) helms this fiction series that centres around one woman’s tumultuous journey through three relationships.

SOMEONE KNOWS SOMETHING (Winter, Season 6), host David Ridgen travels across North America, investigating a disappearance. 

Returning original podcasts:

TAI ASKS WHY (August 28, Season 2), 12-year-old Tai Poole returns to further explore answers to life’s biggest questions.

THE SECRET LIFE OF CANADA (October, Season 3), a new season of the history podcast about the country you know and the stories you don’t.

PLAYME (November, Season 3), a new season of the podcast that transforms Canadian plays into audio dramas.

CBC SPORTS

CBC SPORTS will continue to keep Canadians connected to the world of high-performance sport through weekly staple ROAD TO THE OLYMPIC GAMES (fall 2019, Season 5), available on CBC and CBC Gem, as well as live streams of key competitions on cbcsports.ca and via the CBC Sports app.

As Canada’s Olympic and Paralympic Network, CBC will bring sports fans in-depth coverage of the established and up-and-coming athletes to watch in the one-year countdown to the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 (July 24 – August 9, 2020) with featured events including the ongoing IAAF Diamond League (until September 7), World Aquatics Championships (July 12-28) and World Track & Field Championships (September 28 – October 6). The fall sees the return of winter sports on the competitive World Cup circuit. This summer, CBC SPORTS will also bring Canadians the excitement of the Calgary Stampede (July 5-14), the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, championship show jumping from Spruce Meadows (June 8 – September 8), Little League Baseball Canadian Championship (August 1-10), and continued live coverage of the Canadian Premier League inaugural season, ongoing until October 19.

CBC FALL 2019 SCHEDULE

CBC’s Fall 2019 schedule, available on CBC and CBC Gem, is as follows:

(For Newfoundland and Labrador, please add one half-hour later for all times)

MONDAYS

8 PM – MURDOCH MYSTERIES *Season 13* (FALL/WINTER)

9 PM – FRANKIE DRAKE MYSTERIES *Season 3* (FALL)

10 PM – THE NATIONAL

TUESDAYS

7:30 PM – FAMILY FEUD CANADA *NEW SERIES* (LATE FALL)

8 PM – STILL STANDING *Season 5*(FALL)

8:30 PM – THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES *Season 27* (FALL/WINTER)

9 PM - TALLBOYZ *NEW SERIES* (FALL)

9:30 PM – BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW *Season 4*

10 PM – THE NATIONAL

WEDNESDAYS

7:30 PM – FAMILY FEUD CANADA *NEW SERIES* (LATE FALL)

8 PM – THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW *Season 3*(FALL)

9 PM – NORTHERN RESCUE *Season 1*(FALL)

10 PM – THE NATIONAL

THURSDAYS

7:30 PM – FAMILY FEUD CANADA *NEW SERIES* (LATE FALL)

8 PM – BATTLE OF THE BLADES RETURNS (FALL)

9 PM – DRAGONS’ DEN *Season 14* (FALL)

10 PM – THE NATIONAL

FRIDAYS

7:30 PM – FAMILY FEUD CANADA *NEW SERIES* (LATE FALL)

8 PM – MARKETPLACE *Season 47*(FALL/WINTER)

8:30 PM – IN THE MAKING *Season 2* (FALL)

9 PM – THE NATURE OF THINGS *Season 59* (FALL/WINTER) - New Night

10 PM – THE NATIONAL

11:30 PM – CBC ARTS: EXHIBITIONISTS (FALL/WINTER)

SATURDAYS

Afternoon – ROAD TO THE OLYMPIC GAMES *Season 5* (FALL/WINTER)

6:30 PM – HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA (FALL/WINTER)

SUNDAYS

Afternoon – ROAD TO THE OLYMPIC GAMES *Season 5* (FALL/WINTER)

7 PM – HEARTLAND *Season 13* (FALL)

8 PM – ANNE WITH AN E *Season 3*(FALL)

9 PM – THE FIFTH ESTATE *Season 45*

10 PM – THE NATIONAL

 *Source: Numeris, Total Canada, CBC Total, Battle of the Blades Seasons 1-4, Oct.4, 2009-Dec. 1, 2013, 2+ AMA, generated by InfoSys+TV. 

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About CBC/Radio-Canada:

CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada’s trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. We also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic and Chinese, as well as both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.

For more information including series synopses, press releases, hi-res images, video clips and bios, please visit the CBC Media Centre at cbc.ca/mediacentre.

For more information, contact:

Tanya Koivusalo – publicist, CBC

tanya.koivusalo@cbc.ca               

416.205.8638

Complete list of CBC returning series for 2019-20 season (32 total):

ANNE WITH AN E (Season 3, 10x60, Northwood Entertainment)

BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW (Season 4, 10x30, Frantic Films)

BURDEN OF TRUTH (Season 3, 8x60, ICF Films, Entertainment One and Eagle Vision)

CBC ARTS: EXHIBITIONISTS (Season 5, 26x30, CBC Arts)

CBC DOCS POV (Season 5, 18x60)

CBC KIDS: TRUE AND THE RAINBOW KINGDOM

CORONATION STREET

CORONER (Season 2, 8x60, Muse Entertainment, Back Alley Films and Cineflix Studios)

THE DETECTIVES (Season 3, 8x60, WAM Media GRP Inc.)

DIGGSTOWN (Season 2, 6x60, Circle Blue Entertainment and Freddie Films)

DRAGONS’ DEN (Season 14, 10x60, CBC)

THE FIFTH ESTATE (Season 45)

FRANKIE DRAKE MYSTERIES (Season 3, 10x60, Shaftesbury)

THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW (Season 3, 9x60, Proper Television)

HA!IFAX COMEDY FEST (Season 24, 6x30, Pilot Light Productions)

HEARTLAND (Season 13, 10x60, Seven24 Films and Dynamo Films)

IN THE MAKING (Season 2, 8x30, White Pine Pictures)

JUST FOR LAUGHS: GALAS (4x60, Just For Laughs TV)

KIM’S CONVENIENCE (Season 4, 13x30, Thunderbird Entertainment)

MARKETPLACE (Season 47, CBC)

MURDOCH MYSTERIES (Season 13, 18x60, Shaftesbury)

THE NATIONAL

THE NATURE OF THINGS (Season 59, 18x60)

ROAD TO THE OLYMPIC GAMES (Season 5, CBC Sports)

SCHITT’S CREEK (Season 6, final season - 14x30, Not A Real Company Productions Inc.)

STILL STANDING (Season 5, 13x30, Frantic Films)

TAKEN (Season 3, 8x30, Eagle Vision Inc.)

THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES (Season 27, 19x30, DHX Media)

THE WEEKLY WITH WENDY MESLEY (Season 3)

WHEN CALLS THE HEART (Season 5, 10x60)

WINNIPEG COMEDY FESTIVAL (Season 18, 5x60, Frantic Films)

WORKIN’ MOMS (Season 4, 8x30, Wolf + Rabbit Entertainment)