A CTV Holiday Television Event: New Original Movie THE HORSES OF MCBRIDE Premieres Sunday, Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. ET/PT on CTV

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Toronto, ON (Nov. 14, 2012) – Saddle up this holiday season with THEHORSES OF MCBRIDE, a new,heart-warming CTV original television movie about the hope, spirit, and convictionof the residents of McBride, B.C., who sacrificed their Christmas to pulltogether and miraculously rescue two starving horses trapped deep within theCanadian Rockies. A major CTV holiday television event, filmed outside ofCalgary and inspired by real-life events, THEHORSES OF MCBRIDE premieres Sunday,Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. ET/PT on CTV (visit CTV.ca to confirm local broadcasttimes). Written and directed by Gemini Award-winning director Anne Wheeler(BOMB GIRLS, Better Than Chocolate),and executive produced by Gemini award-winning actor/director Paul Gross (ZOS:ZONE OF SEPERATION, THE TROJAN HORSE) and Daytime EMMY^®Award-winning producer Frank Siracusa (THE YARD, Hobo with a Shotgun, Passchendaele), thetwo-hour television movie stars EMMY^®-nominated actor AidanQuinn (ELEMENTARY, Unknown), KariMatchett (COVERT AFFAIRS, 24) andup-and-comer MacKenzie Porter (R.L. Stine’s THE HAUNTING HOUR, WILD ROSES).

Encore presentations of THE HORSES OFMCBRIDE air Wednesday, Dec. 19 at 9 p.m.ET on Bravo and Friday, Dec. 21 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CTV Two. THE HORSES OF MCBRIDE will also be available across CTV’s digital platforms following itstelevision broadcast on CTV.ca, the CTV App, and the CTV Mobilechannel.

**MediaNote** Photography for THE HORSES OFMCBRIDE isavailable online at BellMediaPR.ca.

AidanQuinn as “Matt Davidson” and MacKenzie Porter as “Nicki Davidson” in the CTVOriginal Movie THE HORSES OF MCBRIDE

“THE HORSES OF MCBRIDE bringsto television one Canadian community’s Christmas story that inspired acountry,” said Phil King, President, CTV Programmingand Sports. “A perfect fit for the holiday season, the story of McBrideis a wonderful re-telling of how one family, and eventually an entirecommunity, rallied together to save the lives of two helpless horses.”

”We’re very proud and fortunate to be part of this beautiful story,” saidExecutive Producer Frank Siracusa, Whizbang Films. “It’s a story about real peoplewith real courage and true spirit.”

Inspired by real-life events, inTHE HORSES OF MCBRIDE (Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. ET/PT on CTV), cowboy-outfitter MattDavidson (Aidan Quinn) has decided to sell his family ranch and find work inthe city. His wife Avril (Kari Matchett) and son Kenny (Edward Ruttle, THREEWEEKS, THREE KIDS, HELLCATS) have embraced the move, but his daughter Nicki(MacKenzie Porter), who dreams of being an outfitter and mountain guide likeher dad, is shocked and angry. It’s late December 2008, when two starvinghorses are discovered high up on the Rockies, trapped in a six foot-deep prisonof snow more than 30 miles from any road. After seeing the spirit in their eyes,Nicki commits to getting them off the mountain – somehow. With no otheroptions, she picks up a shovel and starts to dig out the mile-long path in deepsnow, inspiring her father, family, and an entire community to pitch in.

The story came to Whizbang Films’ attention onBoxing Day nearly four years ago when the horses’ story appeared on the frontpage of newspapers and newscasts across the country. Anne Wheeler agreed towrite and direct the project, and in researching the story, she spentconsiderable time with the Jeck family in B.C, who were instrumental in thehorses’ rescue.

In casting the equine “stars” of the film, the producers found twoemaciated horses with the support of the SPCA, and nurtured them back to healthunder the watchful eye of legendary wrangler John Scott. The mare’s name is”Lady”, rescued near Cochrane, Alberta. The gelding,”Slim”, was found near Penticton, B.C.

THE HORSESOF MCBRIDE is produced by Whizbang Films in association with Bell Media, and distributedinternationally by Entertainment One (eOne). THE HORSES OF MCBRIDE is written and directed by Anne Wheeler andexecutive produced by Frank Siracusa (THE YARD, Hobo with a Shotgun, Passchendaele) andPaul Gross (ZOS: ZONE OF SEPERATION, THE TROJAN HORSE). Gosia Kamela is the Bell Media Production Executiveworking with the movie. Trish Williams is Director, Drama, IndependentProduction, Bell Media. Corrie Coe is Senior Vice-President, IndependentProduction, Bell Media. Mike Cosentino is Senior Vice-President, Programming,CTV Networks. Phil King is President, CTV Programming and Sports.

About Whizbang Films

Whizbang Films is a dynamic producer and distributor of high-quality,award-winning feature films and dramatic TV series. Headed by Frank Siracusa,in 2011 Whizbang released Hobo with aShotgun and Breakaway. In 2008, Whizbang released the World War Ifeature film Passchendaele, which received five Genie Awardsincluding the Golden Reel Award for highest box office for a Canadian Film. Formore information, visit whizbangfilms.com.

About CTV

CTV is Canada’s largest privatebroadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, andentertainment programming, CTV is Canada’s most-watched television network. CTVis a division of Bell Media, Canada’s premier multimedia company with leadingassets in television, radio and digital. Bell Media is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX,NYSE: BCE), Canada’s largest communications company. More information about CTVcan be found on the network’s website at ctv.ca.

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For more information, please contact:

Matthew Almeida, CTV and CTV Two, 416.384.2629or matthew.almeida@bellmedia.ca

Jim Quan, CTV and CTV Two, 416.384.5311 or jim.quan@bellmedia.ca