Jesse Wanagas
CTV – CTV Life Channel – CTV Comedy Channel – CTV Drama Channel – CTV Sci-Fi Channel
Tags: @CTV_PR, @CTV, @TheLede_ca
TORONTO (March 24, 2022) – The search for true love is coming to CTV, as the network announced today it has greenlit new unscripted dating series FARMING FOR LOVE. An adaptation of the hit international format THE FARMER WANTS A WIFE, FARMING FOR LOVE follows the journeys of five rural Canadian singles on their quest for romance. Produced by Lark Productions in collaboration with Fremantle and in association with CTV, the CTV Original series consists of 10, one-hour episodes with production taking place later this year in British Columbia. The hit format is based on an original concept from British magazine Country Living licensed by Fremantle. The Canadian French-language version, L’AMOUR EST DANS LE PRÉ, is a long-running success on Noovo, currently in its tenth season. Since its premiere in 2013, L’AMOUR EST DANS LE PRÉ has led to more than 15 couples and 27 children. In FARMING FOR LOVE, five Canadians searching for their soulmates open up their farms – and their hearts – to a select group of urban singles. As they live and work together, the daters must adjust to a new lifestyle, and immerse themselves in a series of challenges, group activities, and intimate one-on-one dates with the goal of finding their one true love. Casting for FARMING FOR LOVE is currently underway for single, BC-based farmers, growers, ranchers, producers, or vintners from all backgrounds who are hoping to find their life partner. For more information on FARMING FOR LOVE, and details on how to apply, click here. “This format has built longstanding mass appeal both internationally and in Canada with Bell Media’s French-language adaptation, and we can’t wait to introduce this series, and the crop of singles hoping to find love, to CTV viewers,” said Justin Stockman, Vice-President, Content Development & Programming, Bell Media. “As this show has demonstrated, country and city can combine for lasting relationships, and together with our partners at Lark Productions and Fremantle we look forward to following the romantic journeys.” “We are thrilled to partner with Bell Media and Fremantle on such an established and heartwarming format,” said Erin Haskett, President, Lark Productions. “Farming for Love promises to celebrate the diverse and wonderful world of Canadian farmers, and we look forward to bringing authentic connections into their lives through this exciting new series.” “Authentic and heart-warming; we have seen the continuous success of this format across the globe, coming out on top as the #1 entertainment show in several territories as well as creating a record number of lasting love connections,” said Fremantle’s Michela Di Mondo, Executive Vice President, Distribution and Sales, Canada. “Wonderfully showcasing the many unique communities across the country, we are so pleased to be working with Bell Media and Lark to bring this one-of-a-kind series to CTV audiences.” The host of FARMING FOR LOVE, and casting details for urban singles hoping to date the selected farmers, are set to be announced in the coming months. Harvesting success over the last 18 years, THE FARMER WANTS A WIFE format has been produced locally in 32 territories around the world, and has been the #1 entertainment and/or reality dating series in Austria, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Poland, Australia, and more. Since its inception, the series has led to 191 weddings and 445 children. FARMING FOR LOVE is now available for customized brand partnership opportunities around the series. For more information, contact AdvertiseWithUs@bellmedia.ca. FARMING FOR LOVE is produced by Lark Productions in collaboration with Fremantle and in association with CTV. For Lark Productions, Erin Haskett is President and Executive Producer; Jean Parsons is VP Unscripted; and Tex Antonucci is VP Business Affairs both Co-Executive Producers. For Fremantle, Michela Di Mondo is Executive Vice President and Executive Producer; and Nadia Paulos is Senior Director, Distribution Operations. For Bell Media, Tina Apostolopoulos is Sr. Production Executive; Sarah Fowlie is Head of Production, Original Programming; Carlyn Klebuc is General Manager, Original Programming; 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.About Fremantle
Fremantle is one of the largest and most successful creators, producers and distributors of scripted and unscripted content in the world. From “The Mosquito Coast” to “Got Talent,” “We Are Who We Are” to “Family Feud,” “American Gods” to “Idol” and “My Brilliant Friend” to “Enslaved” – we are behind the world’s most-loved and most-watched shows.
We have an outstanding international network of production teams, companies and labels in over 30 countries – our Fremantle family includes UFA (Germany), Wildside (Italy), Abot Hameiri (Israel), Miso Film (Denmark, Sweden and Norway), Blue Circle (Netherlands), Original Productions (USA) and Easy Tiger (Australia) to name a few.
We produce in excess of 12,000 hours of original programming, roll out more than 70 formats and air 400 programmes a year worldwide. We also distribute over 30,000 hours of content in more than 200 territories.
We are also a world leader in digital and branded entertainment, with more than 426 million fans across 1,500 social channels and over 100 billion views across all platforms – and are the creator of Facebook’s most viewed video of all time, The Sacred Riana. We are part of RTL Group, a global leader across broadcast, content and digital, itself a division of the international media giant Bertelsmann.
For more information, visit www.fremantle.com, or follow us @FremantleHQ and visit our LinkedIn and Facebook pages.
About Lark Productions
Lark Productions is an award-winning television production company creating exceptional programming that partners and travels internationally. Lark develops and produces both scripted & unscripted content and enjoys a distribution and development deal with NBCUniversal International.
Established in Vancouver in 2010, Lark’s productions include legal drama Family Law for Corus Entertainment and eOne, spy drama Fortunate Son for CBC in association with NBCUniversal International Studios, CSA-nominated Motive (CTV, USA Network), the hit formats The Real Housewives of Toronto (Slice) and The Real Housewives of Vancouver (Slice), Crash Gallery (CBC), Paramedics: Life on the Line (Knowledge Network) and Emergency Room: Life + Death at VGH (Knowledge Network, Discovery Fit).
About Bell Media Original Productions
Bell Media has commissioned some of Canada’s most-watched and most-acclaimed original programming, working with the best Canadian independent producers in the country. Hit series commissioned by CTV include #1 Canadian drama TRANSPLANT; record-breaking Canadian format THE AMAZING RACE CANADA; comedy series CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING from the producers of LETTERKENNY, and JANN. Among the original series on Bell Media specialty and streaming platforms are CTV Life Channel’s culinary series MARY MAKES IT EASY with Mary Berg; CTV Comedy Channel’s ROAST BATTLE CANADA, and the upcoming comedy series ACTING GOOD; as well as CTV Drama Channel’s upcoming scripted series SULLIVAN’S CROSSING. Crave Originals include hit series LETTERKENNY and its upcoming official spinoff series SHORESY, CANADA’S DRAG RACE, and WAY OVER ME (SORTEZ-MOI DE MOI); docuseries DARK SIDE OF THE RING; and acclaimed documentaries FANNY: THE RIGHT TO ROCK and A.RTIFICIAL I.MMORTALITY. Discovery is home to Bell Media’s hit factual series and franchises HIGHWAY THRU HELL, HEAVY RESCUE: 401, and MUD MOUNTAIN HAULERS, in addition to MAKE IT TO THE MOON, and others. Bell Media is part of BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada’s largest communications company. Learn more at www.BellMedia.ca.
About CTV
CTV is Canada’s #1 television brand. CTV provides unparalleled entertainment programming across two broadcast television networks; a powerful suite of specialty channels including CTV Comedy Channel, CTV Drama Channel, CTV Life Channel, and CTV Sci-Fi Channel; and digital channels CTV Throwback and CTV Movies, streaming on demand from CTV.ca and the CTV app. CTV has been Canada’s most-watched television network for the past 20 years in a row and features a wide range of sports and information programming, including CTV News, Canada’s highest-rated national and local newscasts. CTV’s parent company is Bell Media, Canada’s premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, digital, and out-of-home advertising.
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