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TORONTO (September 22, 2026) – CTV and Crave announced today that nationwide casting is now underway for an all-new season of BIG BROTHER CANADA, opening the doors to a new generation of houseguests. Canadians ready to put their strategy and social gameplay to the test can apply now at BigBrotherCanadaCasting.ca.

“BIG BROTHER CANADA is driven by unforgettable personalities and unexpected moments,” said Justin Stockman, VP, Global Content, Bell Media. “We can’t wait to welcome a fearless, diverse, and competitive group of Canadians to the house as we embark on this exciting new era of the franchise on CTV and Crave.”

Searching for entertaining, strategic, and competitive Canadians from coast-to-coast-to-coast, here is how to apply for the upcoming season of BIG BROTHER CANADA:

 	Submit a short audition video to ca showcasing your personality, background, and why you have what it takes to win BIG BROTHER CANADA
 	Applicants must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and at least 19 years of age
 	For complete rules and eligibility requirements, please visit ca

To help aspiring houseguests study the game and get house-ready, previous seasons of BIG BROTHER CANADA are available for streaming on Crave. In addition, future seasons of BIG BROTHER USA will arrive on CTV and Crave beginning Summer 2027.

From Entourage, the team behind French-language Québécois series, BIG BROTHER CÉLÉBRITÉS, and produced in association with Crave and CTV, following a deal with Banijay Rights, the global distribution arm of Banijay Entertainment. The new season of BIG BROTHER CANADA is set to begin production Spring 2027 in Montréal. Andrea Bain, co-host of CTV’s THE SOCIAL, is confirmed as the host for the new season.

Customized and fully integrated brand partnership opportunities for BIG BROTHER CANADA, including video, digital, social, audio, and OOH platforms with first in class data opportunities, are currently available for the upcoming season.

One of the world’s most iconic and successful reality television franchises, BIG BROTHER first hit screens 27 years ago in the Netherlands in 1999. Since its debut, over 670 series of the show have aired around the world in 71 markets. The format continues to make a splash globally, with prime-time success in the UK, Australia, Germany and Brazil; long-running versions airing consistently in the US and Italy since 2000; seven regional versions each year in India; and a new adaptation in Uruguay. BIG BROTHER, a Banijay Entertainment format, is one of the powerhouse’s top three formats and has maintained huge popularity globally, airing in 27 territories last year. BIG BROTHER CANADA is distributed by Banijay Rights.

For Entourage, Eric Young and Nathalie Brigitte Bustos are Executive Producers, Mathieu Ouellet is Showrunner; and France Racine is Producer. For Bell Media, Rachel Goldstein-Couto is Head of Development, Original Programming; Alexis McLaren is Production Executive, Original Programming; Danielle Pearson is Senior Production Executive, Original Programming; Sarah Fowlie is Head of Production, Original Programming; Li Yeh is Director, Strategic Planning; Carlyn Klebuc is General Manager, Original Programming; Justin Stockman is Vice-President, Global Content, Bell Media.

Houseguests Wanted: Casting Now Open for CTV and Crave’s BIG BROTHER CANADA

TORONTO (September 22, 2026) – CTV and Crave announced today that nationwide casting is now underway for an all-new season of BIG BROTHER CANADA, open...

September 17 – THE HOWARD STERN SHOW  

 	The Howard Stern Production Company, Inc. and SiriusXM are releasing weekly filmed episodes of THE HOWARD STERN SHOW for HBO Max, streaming in Canada on Crave. Legendary innovator, broadcaster, and “King of All Media” Howard Stern brings his signature, long-running SiriusXM program to HBO Max. Each week, Howard's SiriusXM show is being adapted into a streamable episode with periodic extras. Each episode spotlights Stern’s boundary-pushing humor, social commentary, and intimate conversations – all with his iconic voice and unique perspective. Recognized as one of the best interviewers in the business, the series also features Howard’s in-depth, candid conversations with celebrities, musicians, and more. Joined by his longtime team, including Robin Quivers, Fred Norris, and Gary Dell’Abate, THE HOWARD STERN SHOW delivers the unusual, unexpected, and uncensored for devoted fans and new viewers alike. Episodes stream on Thursdays. 

September 18 – HBO Original JAŸ-Z IN 8 *Documentary Series Premiere* 

 	30 years after his landmark debut album Reasonable Doubt, artist, icon, philanthropist, and entrepreneur JAŸ-Z sits down with longtime friend, producer, and director Rick Rubin for an intimate reflection on his storied career, revisiting the music together and unpacking his work and life through a shared listening and illuminating conversation. Featuring many of JAŸ-Z’s iconic tracks and album cuts, including 99 Problems, Brooklyn’s Finest, and 4:44, the eight-episode series offers a deeply revealing portrait of the artist and his work, exploring the influences and inspiration that shaped both the man and his music. The first two episodes are available to stream at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 18, with two new episodes on subsequent Fridays, concluding with the final two episodes on Friday, Oct. 9. 

September 18 – STARZ Original OUTLANDER: BLOOD OF MY BLOOD *Season 2 Premiere*  

 	After an unexpected journey back in time left Henry (Jeremy Irvine) and Julia (Hermione Corfield) Beauchamp lost and separated in the sweeping highlands of 18th century Scotland, Season One culminated with the two finally reuniting at the standing stones of Craigh na Dun, hoping to return to their own time and their young daughter, Claire. Season Two picks up at that moment and reveals a distraught Julia alone with their baby. Separated from his love and hope, Henry must grapple with his mental health, as he fights to find his way back to her. Meanwhile, the forbidden relationship between Brian Fraser (Jamie Roy) and Ellen MacKenzie (Harriet Slater) seemed to conquer all odds, but their romantic escape was cut short as fiery crosses were lit and the 1715 Jacobite Rising began, thrusting the clans into war. New episodes of OUTLANDER: BLOOD OF MY BLOOD stream Fridays at 9 p.m. ET.  

September 20 – HBO Original YOUTH *Series Premiere*  

 	From Sharon Horgan the creator of CATASTROPHE and BAD SISTERS, HBO original drama YOUTH follows a 50-year-old divorcée’s (Horgan) search for sex and love, whilst juggling caring for her elderly parents and parenting her should-be grown-up son. New episodes of YOUTH streams Sundays at 10 p.m. ET. 

September 20 – AMERICAN HOSTAGE *Series Premiere*  

 	AMERICAN HOSTAGE is a high-stakes anthology series, starring and executive produced by Emmy Award winner Jon Hamm. Based on the acclaimed first season of the scripted podcast of the same name, the series is a psychological thriller set in the 1970s inspired by the harrowing true story of an Indianapolis radio reporter Fred Heckman (Hamm), who is thrust into the middle of a life-or-death crisis when hostage-taker, Tony Kiritsis (Giovanni Ribisi), demands to be interviewed on his popular radio news program. AMERICAN HOSTAGE debuts on Sunday, Sept. 20 with two episodes, followed by one new episode streaming on subsequent Sundays. 

September 22 – CTV Original THE TRAITORS CANADA *Season Premiere* 

 	Choas, deception, and treachery unfold in Season 4 of THE TRAITORS CANADA as host Karine Vanasse welcomes 22 Canadian players to her manor – willing to do whatever is necessary for the chance to claim a cash prize of up to $100,000. Season 4 of the award-wining original competition series airs Mondays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, beginning September 21, with extended cuts streaming next day on Crave. 

September 23 – CTV Original MASTERCHEF CANADA *Season Premiere* 

 	Season 9 of MASTERCHEF CANADA features 16 Canadian home cooks vying for a chance to win the $100,000 cash prize and coveted title of MasterChef Canada champion, as they face off in a series of high pressure and precision focused challenges judged by Mary Berg, Craig Wong, and Hugh Acheson, with a special guest-judge appearance from chef Gordon Ramsay. The 11-episode season airs Tuesdays at 7 p.m. ET/PT on CTV beginning September 22 and streaming next day on Crave.   

 ***Media Note: Assets for Crave programming are available at the Bell Media press site, The Lede, here   

Programming Premieres and Key Finales for the week of September 17 – 23 

*All Programming Subject to Change*    

 

HBO and HBO Max

September 17 – HBO Original THE HOWARD STERN SHOW S1 E1 (Series Premiere) 

September 17 – HBO Original THE HOWARD STERN SHOW: BONUS EPISODES 

September 18 – HBO Original JAŸ-Z IN 8 * E1-2 (Docuseries Premiere)  

September 20 – HBO Original YOUTH S1 E1-2 (Series Premiere) 

September 22 – SIREN: THE VOICES OF SHELLEY BEATTIE (Standard and with ASL) (Documentary) 

 

Movies

September 17 – THE SKULLS 

September 18 – THE SIXTH SENSE 

September 18 – THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER 

September 18 – THE GATES 

September 18 – THE ZONE OF INTEREST 

September 18 – CIVIL WAR 

September 18 – BEAST (2026) 

September 18 – CARIO TIME *Canadian Title* 

September 18 – THE AMERICAN DREAM 

September 18 – RACEWALKERS 

September 18 – JACKASS: THE MOVIE 

 

STARZ

September 17 – THE SKULLS 

September 17 – A CINDERELLA STORY 

September 18 – OUTLANDER: BLOOD OF MY BLOOD S2 E1 (Season Premiere) 

September 18 – BOOGIE NIGHTS 

September 18 – THE SIXTH SENSE 

September 18 – THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER 

September 18 – CARIO TIME *Canadian Title* 

 

Additional Highlights

September 17 – French Crave Original BONNE NUIT CHUCK S2 E1-2 (Season Premiere) 

September 18 –  DIRTY ROTTEN SCANDALS S1 E1-6 (Series Premiere) 

September 20 – AMERICAN HOSTAGE S1 E1-2 (Series Premiere) 

September 20 – CCMA AWARDS (Special) 

 

Next Day on Crave

September 17 – MASTERCHEF S16 E18 S25 (Season Finale) *following CTV 

September 18 – THE TRAITORS: NEW BLOOD S1 E1-2 (Season Premiere) *following CTV2 

September 22 – THE VOICE S30 E1 (Season Premiere) *following CTV  

September 22 – CTV Original THE TRAITORS CANADA S4 E1 *Canadian Title* (Season Premiere) *following CTV  

September 23 – BEST MEDICINE S2 E1 (Season Premiere) *following CTV 

September 23 – DOC S3 E1 (Season Premiere) *following CTV 

September 23 – MASTERCHEF CANADA S9 E1 *Canadian Title* (Season Premiere) *following CTV 

September 17 – 23: Crave Weekly Streaming Overview  

September 17 – THE HOWARD STERN SHOW   The Howard Stern Production Company, Inc. and SiriusXM are releasing weekly filmed episodes of THE HOWARD STERN...

Thursday Programming 

 	2 p.m. ET – NFL GameDay (TSN 4/5) 
 	4 p.m. ET – NFL Live (TSN1/3) 
 	7 p.m. ET – TNF Tonight (TSN1/3/4) 
 	8:15 p.m. ET – Detroit @ Buffalo 

 	TSN, CTV Network, and RDS 



Friday Programming 

 	12:30 p.m. ET – NFL GameDay (TSN3/5) 
 	4 p.m. ET – NFL Live (TSN1/3) 

Sunday Programming 

 	10 a.m. ET – NFL Countdown (TSN1)  
 	10 a.m. ET – NFL Fantasy Football Now (TSN Premium) 
 	1 p.m. ET – NFL RedZone (TSN Premium, RDS.ca, and RDS App) 
 	1 p.m. ET – FanDuel Sunday (TSN1) 
 	7 p.m. ET – Football Night in America (TSN1/3/4) 
 	7:30 p.m. ET – NFL on CTV Live (CTV) 

Sunday 1 p.m. ET 

 	Pittsburgh @ New England  

 	CTV Toronto, CTV Montreal, CTV BC, CTV Alberta, CTV Ottawa, CTV Kitchener, CTV Atlantic, and RDS 


 	Cincinnati @ Houston 

 	TSN Premium 


 	Minnesota @ Chicago 

 	TSN1, CTV Saskatchewan, CTV Winnipeg, CTV2 BC, and CTV2 Alberta


 	Green Bay @ New York Jets 

 	CTV Northern Ontario, CTV2 Toronto, CTV2 Ottawa, CTV2 London, CTV2 Windsor, and CTV2 Atlantic 



Sunday 4 p.m. ET 

 	Jacksonville @ Denver – Kickoff at 4:05 p.m. ET 

 	TSN1/3 


 	Washington @ Dallas – Kickoff at 4:25 p.m. ET 

 	CTV Toronto, CTV Montreal, CTV Ottawa, CTV Kitchener, CTV Northern Ontario, CTV Atlantic, and RDS


 	Seattle @ Arizona – Kickoff at 4:25 p.m. ET 

 	CTV BC, CTV Alberta, CTV Saskatchewan, and CTV Winnipeg 



Sunday Night Football 

 	8:20 p.m. ET – Indianapolis @ Kansas City 

 	TSN1/3/4, CTV Network, and RDS 



Monday Programming

 	3 p.m. ET – NFL Live (TSN1/3) 
 	6 p.m. ET – NFL Monday Night Countdown (TSN1) 
 	8:15 p.m. ET – New York Giants @ Los Angeles Rams  

 	TSN1, CTV2 Toronto, CTV2 BC, CTV2 Alberta, CTV2 Ottawa, CTV2 London, CTV2 Windsor, CTV2 Atlantic, and RDS 


 	8:15 p.m. ET – Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli (TSN Premium) 

 

This page will be updated as any changes to NFL programming are confirmed. CTV games are available by region on Crave through the live CTV channel.

NFL on TSN, CTV, Crave, and RDS – Week 2: Josh Allen and the Bills Open New Highmark Stadium Against the Lions on Thursday Night Football, Giants Battle Rams on Monday Night Football, and more

Thursday Programming  2 p.m. ET – NFL GameDay (TSN 4/5)  4 p.m. ET – NFL Live (TSN1/3)  7 p.m. ET – TNF Tonight (TSN1/3/4)  8:15 p.m. ET – Detroit @ B...

TORONTO (September 16, 2026) – On the heels of last night’s Season 12 finale of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, CTV announced that Canada’s favourite summertime adventure series has been renewed for Season 13. Hosted by Olympic gold medallist Jon Montgomery, THE AMAZING RACE CANADA is set to welcome a new group of racers to the starting line when it returns in 2027, with casting details to be announced at a later date.

“Year after year, THE AMAZING RACE CANADA remains one of the country's most beloved franchises, captivating viewers and creating unforgettable moments that resonate with audiences of all ages,” said Justin Stockman, Vice-President, Global Content, Bell Media. “Season after season, the series continues to raise the bar with its blend of adventure, competition, and Canadian pride. Along with our longstanding partners at Insight Productions, we’ll showcase even more of the people, places, and experiences that make Canada extraordinary in Season 13.”

Customized and wholly integrated brand partnership opportunities for THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, including video, digital, social, radio, and OOH platforms with first in class data opportunities, are currently available for the upcoming season.

With final data for Season 12 to be reported, THE AMAZING RACE CANADA was the #1 summer series overall (P2+ and A25-54), with a current season average of 1.1 million viewers. The series also closed out its twelfth consecutive year as Canada’s most-watched summer series among the key A25-54 demo. Throughout the summer, Season 12 of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA has also consistently ranked among Crave's Top 10 programs, claiming the spot as the #1 Canadian program on the platform each week a new episode was released. To date, the series has amassed a total of 55 Canadian Screen Award nominations and 30 wins.

All seasons of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA are available on Crave, with an encore of the Season 12 finale airing Saturday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. ET/PT on CTV.

THE AMAZING RACE CANADA is produced by Insight Productions Ltd. (a Blue Ant Studios Company) in association with CTV. For Insight, John Brunton is Executive Producer and Mark Lysakowski is Executive Producer and Showrunner. For Bell Media, Rachel Goldstein-Couto is Head of Development, Original Programming; Danielle Pearson is Executive Producer and Senior Production Executive, Original Programming; Sarah Fowlie is Head of Production, Original Programming; Carlyn Klebuc is General Manager, Original Programming; Justin Stockman is Vice-President, Global Content, Bell Media.

Lucky 13: CTV Orders Season 13 of Canada’s #1 Summer Series THE AMAZING RACE CANADA

TORONTO (September 16, 2026) – On the heels of last night’s Season 12 finale of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, CTV announced that Canada’s favourite summert...

By BILL HARRIS
Special to The Lede

In a tense atmosphere of ring-tossing, white cowboy hats, T-shirt guns, drumline routines, and history museums, the 12th season of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA came to a dramatic conclusion Tuesday night on CTV (the entire season is now available for streaming on Crave).

The frantic finale took place against the backdrop of the world-famous Calgary Stampede, as the three surviving teams – twin sisters Tina and Liz from Hamilton, Ont., married couple Eamon and Bec from Toronto, and brothers Michele and Matteo from Toronto – attempted to turn their dreams into reality.

At stake was a quarter of a million dollars, OneKeyCash&#x2122; from Expedia to plan a trip around the world, and the coveted title of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA champions. So what happened?

SPOILER ALERT: details from the finale follow.

Front-runners Tina and Liz had been preparing for this moment their entire lives, and they entered the finale in first place. But there are no straightforward paths on THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, and at the end of the first challenge – the reverse zip and oversized ring toss – they had plummeted from top to bottom.

But they didn’t give up. By the fourth challenge of the finale – titled Showband, in which one racer had to learn a complex drumline routine – they had essentially caught up to the two other teams. And by the end of Showband, Tina and Liz were back in first place, where they had spent most of the season.

Their triumph was confirmed after a tricky memory challenge that related to all the legs of the journey, which is something of a tradition on THE AMAZING RACE CANADA. Tina and Liz then searched the sprawling 500-acre Spruce Meadows equestrian and show-jumping grounds, and found host Jon Montgomery and the previously eliminated teams waiting to greet them at the final mat.

Here's what Tina Liao, a corporate lawyer, and Dr. Liz Liao, a family physician and obstetrician, had to say about their largely dominant performance in Season 12 of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA:

Q: Is it nice to be able to talk about this openly, rather than keeping it a secret?

TINA: “Yeah, but it's a bittersweet feeling, because while it’ll be amazing to finally tell everyone that we won the race, we'll miss having the show air every week. We love watching it with our loved ones, and getting to experience seeing ourselves and our castmates every week. I'm really going to miss it.”

Q: Has anything surprised you when watching the show week to week?

LIZ: “I don't think there has been anything too drastic in terms of us remembering things differently, although there are certainly some things that we said here and there that we don't remember saying, because there was so much happening at the time. It's also cool for us to see the parts of the race that we haven't seen, like what happens to other teams, or what the other side of the Detour was like that we didn't get to do. So there's still a lot of stuff that we're seeing for the first time as viewers, too.”

Q: This was perhaps the most clinical victory in the history of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA. You established yourself as the biggest threat early, and then you were just kind of in your own world. The other teams respected you, but they didn’t resent you.

TINA: “Thank you, we really appreciate that. It's interesting what you say about us being in our own world, because we really did try to focus only on ourselves, and not worry about what other people were doing. I think a really good illustration of that was in the third leg on the train ride, when we were so in our own world that we didn't even notice where all the other teams went. They all just started disappearing, but we were in our own zone a little too much at that point. But look, we went into the race knowing that we had the abilities to win, and as long as we performed well, we had a really good chance of making the finale. But there's always a luck component involved, or something could not go our way, so while we were really hoping we would win, by no means were we expecting it. There were really strong racers this season. But we never looked at it as a competition against other racers, we only wanted to perform the best we could, so that we could be proud of ourselves.”

Q: To be fair, it’s easier to be “in your own world” if you're at the front every week.

LIZ: “For sure, yeah. Going into the race, we didn't want to win every single leg, because we knew that would make us a bit too comfortable. We wanted to be in situations where we would feel pressure, because you act totally differently when you're in that situation than when you're in first place with a 30-minute lead or something like that. There were a couple of times when we were in last place. And we were in last place for a lot of the finale. But we were able to withstand those stressful situations and still try to focus on ourselves. A lot of that comes from our jobs, and our sports background.”

Q: You really excelled at memorization and recall, such as in the last challenge at Heritage Park, or remembering the Icelandic words.

LIZ: “Yeah, I think with our professions, we're used to training and studying. You're always going to come across a new situation that you've never encountered before, but you have to trust your training, and trust what you know to get yourself through that new situation. So that was one of our mottos. We kept telling ourselves, trust your training. So of course, I had never learned Icelandic before, but I know that I've memorized so many prescription drug names, so many words with Latin roots for my medical training, that I was like, ‘okay, I know I can do this. Trust my training, and apply it to this new situation.’”

Q: What was the moment in the finale that turned things around?

TINA: “I don't even attribute it to a single moment. But we never gave up on ourselves. I'll be honest with you, when we left the first challenge in last place by a considerable margin, I didn't think that we would win. I genuinely thought I had single-handedly forfeited our AMAZING RACE CANADA title. But we just said, ‘we're going to keep doing our best, and racing as fast as we can, because that’s all we can do.’”

LIZ: “Yeah, we told each other, ‘you know, it might be impossible for us to catch up, no matter how good we are, but hey, this is our last day on the race. This is a dream of ours, so regardless, we're just going to enjoy every moment, and work as hard as we can.’ It wasn't until we got to the drumline routine challenge that we saw everybody else there, and we were like, ‘oh my gosh, we're really still in this, so let's do it, let's go!’”

Q: Was anything in the race more difficult than you thought it was going to be?

LIZ: “Definitely not the physical aspect. To be honest, we thought the race was a bit less physical than we were expecting. We did a lot of cardiovascular training, and we didn’t really need that as much. And I would say not the challenges themselves. Mentally it was pretty much where we expected it to be. But I would say, if anything, the part that we just didn't know how hard it was going to be was the social aspect of the game. And THE AMAZING RACE CANADA is not really a quote-unquote social game, like BIG BROTHER or THE TRAITORS or anything like that. But they still have these gameplays, like the U-turn, like the Passport, that involve a lot of social strategy, and that part was a bit more challenging for us than I guess we knew. Of course, we were in a competition, but we respect every other team so much. They were all so incredible, and we're so in awe of all their stories.”

TINA: “That’s another reason why it was really fun for us to watch the show air, because we're hearing all these teams say things about us that we didn't know they were saying, right? And Filipe and Clara, those cowboys, we love them so much. Filipe was saying the nicest things about us, while also saying that we're a threat. He's like, you know, ‘they're figure skaters, they're this, they're that, they smell nice.’ And we're like, ‘that's such a good compliment!’ So we love that. I just think there's something about the way we carried ourselves, people could tell we were serious, we really wanted this, and it was our dream. So when people identified us as a threat early on, it wasn't really a surprise to us. We took it as flattery, as a compliment that they thought we were a strong team. It was a good position for us to be in.”

Q: You won five legs, and won so many trips. Are you going to have time to take them all? What’s the one trip that you’re determined to take first?

TINA: “Oh man, it's going to be hard to fit them in, but we're going to try our best. We're so lucky to have won all these trips. But we do have a friend getting married in Portugal next March, so our first trip will probably be to Barcelona, and we can combine that with the wedding somehow. We won the trip to Barcelona in the sixth leg.”

Q: What are you going to do with the money?

LIZ: “It’s still kind of surreal. It hasn’t really hit us yet. But during the race we talked a lot about how much our parents and our family mean to us. Our parents sacrificed so much moving here to Canada for us, and basically raised us and taught us everything that we know. Everything that people saw on the race, and the things they’re complimenting us about, our resilience, our skill, our relationship with each other, literally all of that comes from our parents. So we really hope to do something nice for them, whether it be to take them back to China for a trip or something like that. We'll discuss it over with them. But honestly, we would have done this without any prizes. Like, if there were no prizes, we would have still wanted to do it.”

Q: Um, you might not want to mention that until the money hits your bank accounts. Anyway, what advice would you give friends who are considering applying for THE AMAZING RACE CANADA?

TINA: “Just be as prepared as possible. If our friends wanted to go on the race, we would share our gigantic spreadsheet with them, share our training plans and everything. We put in so much work to prepare for this. We did so much research. We did a ton of physical preparation. We were the strongest we’ve ever been, because, you know, you're up against guys who look like Sacha and Sébastien! We needed to build some muscles, too. We did a ton of cardio work, as Liz said. We actually watched YouTube videos on how to sail, so it was crazy that we got to do a sailing challenge. Liz learned how to drive a manual car. Our parents always taught us, there's no such thing as too much preparation.”

Q: You do realize that in the same manner that you studied past seasons of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, your victory this season can now be a key element in someone else’s studying!

LIZ: “We're going to be on somebody else’s spreadsheet.”

TINA: “That is really cool.”

billharristv@gmail.com

@billharris_tv

Trust Your Training: Season 12 of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA Concludes With a Stampede to the Final Mat

By BILL HARRIS Special to The Lede In a tense atmosphere of ring-tossing, white cowboy hats, T-shirt guns, drumline routines, and history museums, the...

TORONTO (September 14, 2026) – CTV News and Chief Anchor and Senior Editor Omar Sachedina are pleased to announce that student journalist Anahadhbir Singh has been selected as the recipient of the annual Sachedina ∙ CTV News ∙ Fellowship, in partnership with RTDNF Canada and Massey College at the University of Toronto. 

The Sachedina ∙ CTV News ∙ Fellowship program is designed to support an emerging journalist who will produce a substantial and original piece that will be considered for publication on a CTV News platform, and will explore a subject or theme that is significant to Canada and Canadians. Throughout the reporting process, the Fellow will receive academic mentoring from faculty at Massey College, and from the leading team of journalists at CTV NATIONAL NEWS. More information on the Sachedina ∙ CTV News ∙ Fellowship is available at CTVNews.ca.  

Based in Toronto, Singh currently attends the University of Toronto and is a candidate for a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. His work has been published in the Toronto Observer and Hindustan Times. His fellowship project focuses on Canada’s gig economy, examining the gap between everyday users of delivery platforms and the challenges that gig workers face. 

“We received a very impressive array of submissions for this year’s fellowship, and as the digital economy continues its rapid expansion, Anahadhbir’s proposal stood out for its relevance to the realities facing gig workers in Canada,” said Sachedina. “All of us at CTV NATIONAL NEWS, alongside our partners at RTDNF Canada and Massey College, look forward to supporting him as he develops this important story.” 

“I'm honoured to receive this year's Sachedina ∙ CTV News ∙ Fellowship. It’s an incredible opportunity to further expand my reporting into the daily experiences of Canadian gig workers,” said Singh. “My hope is that this project sparks a deeper understanding of the people behind the popular delivery apps that Canadians rely on every day.”  

“Congratulations to Anahadhbir and his determination to dig deeper into the gig economy and its effect on a growing number of Canadians,” said Gina Lorentz, President, RTDNF Canada. “The Radio Television and Digital News Foundation thanks CTV News and Omar Sachedina for giving this remarkable opportunity to talented new journalists.” 

“As the digital revolution is reshaping journalism, it is also reshaping society,” said Dr. James Orbinski, Principal of Massey College. “Anahadhbir Singh’s work is an important window into the human impacts of our digital and (soon-to-be) A.I. revolutionary economy. Massey College looks forward to welcoming another outstanding Sachedina CTV News Fellow!” 

Canadians can continue to connect with CTV News to access all the comprehensive news they need by visiting CTVNews.ca, subscribing to the organization’s daily newsletters, and by downloading the official CTV News app.  

Chief Anchor and Senior Editor Omar Sachedina and CTV News Announce 2026 Recipient of the Sachedina ∙ CTV News ∙ Fellowship

TORONTO (September 14, 2026) – CTV News and Chief Anchor and Senior Editor Omar Sachedina are pleased to announce that student journalist Anahadhbir S...

 TORONTO, ON (September 14, 2026) – Something wicked this way comes. Crave announced today that its eight-episode, half-hour drama, YAGA, a spellbinding mystery thriller which re-imagines the myth of Baba Yaga, premieres on Friday, October 23.

Following a captivating kickoff at San Diego Comic Con in July, momentum for YAGA continues to build. Before its highly anticipated debut, the series is set to have its world premiere on September 17 at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival, followed by a panel at New York Comic Con on October 9, revealing exclusive content. The first two episodes drop on Oct. 23, followed by one episode on subsequent Fridays, until the two-episode finale on Nov. 27.

A sneak peek clip was also released today:

Additionally, in tandem with each episode of YAGA, Crave presents an original companion podcast to the series. Hosted by Canadian content creator and podcaster Carley Thorne, YAGA: THE OFFICIAL PODCAST, unpacks each episode, providing a deeper dive into key moments, theories, behind-the-scenes exclusives, and more. The podcast is available to stream on Crave and Crave’s Official YouTube account beginning Oct. 23, as well as on iHeart and all major podcast platforms.

YAGA is based on the hit play by Kat Sandler who also serves as writer, showrunner, and executive producer. It follows Rapp (Noah Reid), a private investigator who arrives in the small coastal town of Whittock, to investigate the disappearance of a young heir to a powerful fishery, Henry Park (Hudson Williams). He finds himself at odds with an apprehensive local detective, Carson (Clark Backo), a charismatic university professor with a taste for younger men, Katherine (Carrie-Anne Moss), and a labyrinth of enigmatic suspects, secret lives, and ancient magic.

Additional cast includes Sheila McCarthy, Megan Follows, Ezra Franky, Patrick Gilmore, Katharine Isabelle, and Hiro Kanagawa, along with Emilija Baranac, Georgia Acken, Anisa Harris, and Sam Krochmal.

David Frazee and Rachel Talalay serve as co-directors. Mackenzie Donaldson, Andrew Miller, and Carrie-Anne Moss are executive producers, and Charles Cooper is producer.

YAGA is produced by Blink49 Studios and Front Street Pictures, in association with Bell Media, with the participation of the Canada Media Fund (CMF), the Rogers Series Fund, and the Bell Fund.

The series is distributed internationally by Sphere Abacus, a Bell Media company. To date, it has been acquired by AMC Global Media for AMC+ in the U.S., Sky in the UK and Ireland, Sky in New Zealand, HBO Max in Europe (excluding UK and Ireland), and Foxtel Group in Australia. YAGA is available for international broadcasters as either four one-hour episodes, or eight half-hour episodes.

For Bell Media: Rachel Goldstein-Couto is Head of Development; Lauren MacKinlay is Development Executive; Rachel Ferguson is Production Executive; Sarah Fowlie is Head of Production; Li Yeh is Director, Strategic Planning; Brian Blazik is Head of Bell Media Sales, Sphere Abacus; Carlyn Klebuc is General Manager; and Justin Stockman is Vice President, Global Content.

For Blink49 Studios: Pancho Mansfield is President, Global Scripted Television; Carolyn Newman is Executive Vice President, Global Scripted Television; Tashi Bieler is Senior Vice President, Head of Production; Mara Dunker is Production Executive.

Welcome to Whittock…The Crave Original Series YAGA Premieres October 23

 TORONTO, ON (September 14, 2026) – Something wicked this way comes. Crave announced today that its eight-episode, half-hour drama, YAGA, a spellbindi...

TORONTO (September 10, 2026) – From Jersey Shore to spirits galore! Reality television icon Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi trades beachside adventures for haunted halls in SNOOKI: THE PARANORMAL ROOKIE, a spine-tingling new Crave Original series that follows Snooki as she explores the stories, secrets, and spirits said to inhabit some of Canada’s most intriguing locations. The eight-episode, hour-long unscripted series launches October 2 with the first two episodes, followed by two all-new episodes released every Friday.

With no formal paranormal training, but a lifelong connection and unwavering belief in the unknown, Snooki joins an expert team of investigators to explore some of Canada’s reportedly most haunted locations. Alongside internationally acclaimed psychic medium Kevin Whitaker, occult expert and historian Missy Morrow, and paranormal tech specialist Todd Thomas, Snooki faces chilling encounters, unexplained phenomena, and startling discoveries that challenge everything she thought she knew about the spirit world.

Filmed across eight episodes at historic and reportedly haunted sites throughout Ontario, the team’s investigations include Tuckett Mansion in Hamilton, Fulford Place in Brockville, Huron Historic Gaol in Goderich, a heritage village in Peterborough, Old Fort Erie, and the Niagara Parks Power Station and Loretto Academy – a historic 19th-century convent and school in Niagara Falls. What begins as a curiosity-driven adventure quickly evolves into a deeply personal journey as Snooki develops her instincts and confidence in the field, transforming from a paranormal novice into an increasingly capable investigator.

Click here for a sneak peek at SNOOKI: THE PARANORMAL ROOKIE
On the series premiere, Snooki begins her paranormal journey at the infamous Tuckett Mansion in Hamilton, Ont., where a playful spirit soon gives way to evidence of a far darker entity lurking within the historic building. 

Episode 2 follows Snooki and the team as they descend into the Huron Historic Gaol in Goderich, Ont., where the ghost of a hanged prisoner, unexplained blood, and the presence of a young girl transform the investigation into a chilling encounter with the past.

SNOOKI: THE PARANORMAL ROOKIE is produced by Buck Productions in association with My Entertainment and Crave. Executive producers are Sean Buckley, Jim Kiriakakis, Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, and Justin Stockman. Kyle Whitelaw serves as showrunner and director. Produced with the participation of the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit.

For Bell Media, Danielle Pearson is Senior Production Executive, Original Programming; Sarah Fowlie is Head of Production, Original Programming; Heather Williamson is Sr. Development Executive, Original Programming; Rachel Goldstein-Couto is Head of Development, Original Programming;  Li Yeh is Director, Strategic Planning, Brian Blazik is Head of Bell Media Sales, Sphere Abacus; Carlyn Klebuc is General Manager, Original Programming; and Justin Stockman is Vice President, Global Content.

SNOOKI THE PARANORMAL ROOKIE is distributed internationally by Sphere Abacus, a Bell Media company.

Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi Explores Canada’s Most-Haunted Locations in Crave Original SNOOKI: THE PARANORMAL ROOKIE, October 2

TORONTO (September 10, 2026) – From Jersey Shore to spirits galore! Reality television icon Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi trades beachside adventures for ha...

September 10 – SUPERGIRL (2026) *Movie* 

 	In its inaugural flight into the new DC Cinematic Universe, SUPERGIRL reveals the origin of the interplanetary nomad Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, cousin of Kal-El, better known as Superman. Headstrong, worldly-wise, and often reckless, Supergirl exudes a brand of heroism all her own: truthful, relatable, and always on her own terms. But when an unexpected and ruthless adversary strikes too close to home, Kara reluctantly joins forces with an unlikely companion. Together they undertake an epic, interstellar journey, struggling to balance one’s need for vengeance with the pursuit of justice—and to save the life of Kara’s best friend, her dog Krypto. Starring Milly Alcock, Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham, with David Corenswet, and Jason Momoa. 

 

September 13 – SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE UK *Season 2 Premiere*  

 	Academy Award‑nominated actor and global icon Jeff Goldblum (Jurassic Park, Wicked) will take to the stage as the first host of the new season, joined by acclaimed Irish singer‑songwriter and Brit Award nominee CMAT. The series once again welcomes a different celebrity host and musical guest for every episode, alongside topical sketches, live music performances, and a British take on the iconic Weekend Update segment. New episodes of SNL UK stream Sundays on Crave, beginning Sept. 13.  

 

September 14 – 78TH PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS *Special* 

 	78TH PRIMETIME EMMY® AWARDS hosted by Mariska Hargitay (LAW &amp; ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT) airs live Monday, Sept. 14 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT from the Peacock Theater at L.A. on CTV and streams on Crave. 

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 ***Media Note: Assets for Crave programming are available at the Bell Media press site, The Lede, here   

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Programming Premieres and Key Finales for the week of September 10 – 16 

*All Programming Subject to Change*    

 

HBO and HBO Max

September 10 – HBO Original A KILLER STORY E1 (Series Premiere) 

 

Movies

September 10 – SUPERGIRL (2026) (Standard and with ASL) 

September 10 – THE LITTLE SISTER  

September 11 – ARMAGEDDON 

September 11 – LITTLE LORRAINE *Canadian Title* 

September 11 – DO NOT ENTER 

September 11 – DOIN' IT *Canadian Title* 

September 11 – CHEF 

September 11 – COLOURS OF TIME 

September 11 – YOU ARE HERE: A COME FROM AWAY STORY (Documentary) *Canadian Title* 

September 11 – TRIBECA 25 (Documentary) 

September 14 – MARC BY SOFIA (Documentary) 

 

STARZ

September 11 – MICHAEL 

September 11 – I CAN ONLY IMAGINE 2 

September 11 – ARMAGEDDON 

 

Additional Highlights

September 10 – PÉNÉLOPE PARTOUT S1 (Series Premiere) 

September 10 – THE TRAITORS INDIA S2 E11 (Season Finale) 

September 10 – PROJECT RUNWAY USA S22 E10 (Season Finale)  

September 13 – SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE U.K. S2 E1 (Season Premiere) 

September 15 – JEOPARDY! S43 E1 (Season Premiere)  

 

Next Day on Crave

September 11 – ETALK S25 (Season Premiere) *following CTV 

September 13 – HAUNTED HARMONY MYSTERIES #4: PRELUDE TO A WEDDING *following CTV Life 

September 15 – 78TH PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS (Special) *following CTV  

September 15 – APOLLO HAS FALLEN E1-2 (Season Premiere) *following CTV Drama 

September 16 – THE AMAZING RACE CANADA S12 E10 (Season Finale) *following CTV 

September 16 – R.J. DECKER S2 E1 (Season Premiere) *following CTV 

September 10 – 16: Crave Weekly Streaming Overview  

September 10 – SUPERGIRL (2026) *Movie*  In its inaugural flight into the new DC Cinematic Universe, SUPERGIRL reveals the origin of the interplanetar...

By BILL HARRIS

Special to The Lede

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What’s the key to growing the perfect, scruffy “Florida beard?”

That bristly question was posed to Canadian Scott Speedman, star of the Florida-set R.J. DECKER, which returns for its second season Tuesday, Sept. 15 on CTV (streams next day on Crave).

“I tell this to young actors all the time, I'm like, ‘get out of makeup!’” Speedman said. “I mean, I love makeup and hair, and I love those people personally, but you have to figure out some stuff on your own. You have to be willing to say ‘no,’ and sort it out.”

So the lead character’s signature Florida look in R.J. DECKER was all Speedman’s idea?

“That’s just me playing around, with the longer hair and the longer beard,” Speedman said. “Believe me, the makers of the show would probably not want any of that. They would probably want me looking more like I am right now.”

To clarify, Speedman was speaking during a trip to Bell Media headquarters in Toronto, where he was promoting Season 2 of R.J. DECKER. He was looking quite neat and spiffy, with shorter hair and a more closely trimmed beard than his character.

“Truthfully, I've been like that since the beginning,” added Speedman, who has a deep acting resumé that includes GREY’S ANATOMY, ANIMAL KINGDOM, FELICITY, and much more. “I remember going to my first wardrobe fitting for my second job here in Toronto. They put me in an outfit, and I said, ‘no, I'm not doing that, I'm not wearing this.’ And they could not fathom it. I was just a day player. So I've always been very controlling … well, not controlling, but I like trying to figure it out on my own.”

The title character in R.J. DECKER also tends to figure things out on his own, often by choice, but sometimes by necessity.

R.J. is a disgraced newspaper photographer and ex-con who has started over as a private investigator in the colourful-but-crime-filled world of South Florida. The series follows him tackling cases that range from slightly odd to outright bizarre, as he walks a fine line to keep himself from going back to prison.

“That’s a great thing to have hanging over a character's head, you know?” Speedman said. “You're always looking for a need, or an objective, or a want, or stakes. That’s what engages the character, which engages me as an actor, and then hopefully it engages an audience.”

Speedman certainly gets to showcase all his acting skills in R.J. DECKER, as there’s a dramatic element, a comedic element, an action element, and he has to be something of a romantic lead as well.

“I think that's all true, but when you break it down like that, I start to feel the pressure there, which can be sort of daunting,” Speedman said. “When I read the first script for this show, I just instinctually knew I could do something with it. But I also was aware that in my younger days, truthfully, I wasn’t ready to take on a true lead like this, covering all the bases you just talked about. Some of the bases, sure, but not all of them. And that means both in front of the camera and behind the scenes, to lead a show. So I’m at a certain place in my career, and in life, that I’m really ready to take all that on, which has been a cool thing.”

Of those four previously mentioned aspects – dramatic, comedic, action, romantic – which ones came naturally to Speedman, and which ones did he have to work on a bit harder?

“The drama stuff, the action stuff, the romantic lead stuff, I've been doing all that since I was a kid,” Speedman said. “But some of the comedic stuff … everybody who knows me personally has been close to begging me to lean more into that, because that's part of our relationship, and how they know me. But honestly, I’m not going to be the inventive one in that way. Some of my best friends are, you know, very famous, amazing, true comedians, and they are inventive. Like, they'll come to set, and none of it will be on the page, but they'll just rip the thing to shreds and be amazing, you know what I mean? That's not what I do. If R.J. is charming and funny and relaxed, it's in the writing, which allows me to do that.”

On the Season 2 premiere of R.J. DECKER, a reunion with an old prison acquaintance pulls R.J. into a string of daring bank heists, as the fallout continues from the shocking events that occurred at the end of Season 1.

“There are the obvious things about how the first season ended on a cliffhanger, which creates a bit of a whodunnit,” said Speedman, setting up Season 2. “I’m very excited to learn more about R.J.’s world, getting to know the character, his family, his past life, what led to him going to jail, all that stuff. But we also want to double down on more of the ‘Florida weird’ part of it.”

The beard is revered!

&nbsp;

billharristv@gmail.com

@billharris_tv

Scott Speedman Promises More ‘Hair-Raising’ Adventures in Season 2 of R.J. DECKER

By BILL HARRIS Special to The Lede &nbsp; What’s the key to growing the perfect, scruffy “Florida beard?” That bristly question was posed to Canadian...