Discovery Presents Viewers with its Greatest Gift of All: An Unprecedented Fresh Holiday Programming Lineup Filled with Exclusive Premieres, Returning Favourites, and Series Marathons, Beginning December 19

TORONTO (November 26, 2015) – The sleigh bells are ringing as Discovery prepares for a 16-day feast of exclusive premieres, full-season premiere runs, and mega-hit series marathons totalling an unprecedented 102 hours of all-new programming, beginning Saturday, Dec. 19 through Sunday, Jan. 3. While most traditional television schedules take a break over the holiday season, Canada’s most-watched entertainment specialty brand announced today a broad slate of programming that features brand new series HOW HARD CAN IT BE, EPIC MANCAVE BUILDS, CHARLEY BOORMAN’S EXTREME FRONTIERS: USA, 100 MILES FROM NOWHERE, and more! The 2015 holiday season schedule also features popular marathons of Discovery’s tentpole series CANADA’S WORST DRIVER, SHARK WEEK, HIGHWAY THRU HELL, and the return of “Naked New Year’s” with NAKED AND AFRAID XL! In addition, the miners in the wilds of Alaska are back with four new episodes of GOLD RUSH airing Tuesday, Dec. 22, beginning at 8 p.m. ET. On Christmas Day, Dec. 25, Host Andrew Younghusband hits the track for a few laps with an eight-hour Season 11 marathon of CANADA’S WORST DRIVER at 1 p.m. ET, leading up to the TV debut of his new series HOW HARD CAN IT BE at 9 p.m. ET. But first, HOW HARD CAN IT BE makes its debut in featurette form on the Discovery GO app and on Discovery.ca beginning Dec. 11. A complete chronological listing of Discovery’s day-by-day holiday programming highlights can be found below. “This December schedule marks Discovery’s biggest gift to Canadian audiences ever,” said Lindsay Cowan Dotchison, Director of Programming, Discovery. “We are very proud to offer an enhanced programming slate of fan favourites, Canadian originals, and new series, making Discovery a key destination for viewers over the holiday season.” Viewers can also enjoy fresh programming lineups on Discovery brands Investigation Discovery, Animal Planet, Discovery Velocity, and Discovery Science throughout the holiday season. All four services have increased their audience versus last year; combined, audiences are up 33% for total viewers. Within the last year, Investigation Discovery viewing is up 37%, Animal Planet viewing is up 9%, Discovery Science viewing is up 24%, and Discovery Velocity audiences have more than doubled versus the formerly known Discovery World last year. Discovery’s complete holiday lineup is as follows: Saturday, Dec. 19 6 p.m. to midnight ET – BBQ PIT WARS – Complete new series! Discovery kicks off the holidays season with a full season of the brand new series BBQ PIT WARS. It’s a competition series at its sizzling best as top barbecue chefs in the U.S. engage in heated battles to see who is the Baron of Brisket. Sunday, Dec. 20 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. ET – ALASKA: THE LAST FRONTIER – Season 5 Marathon Based on the modern-day Kilcher Homestead, where Yule Kilcher homesteaded the land 70 years ago, the series follows his two sons, their families, and their off-the-grid lifestyle. 10 p.m. ET – ALASKA: THE LAST FRONTIER – Season 5 – New Episode! Monday, Dec. 21 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. ET – BUYING THE BEACH – Season 1 – New episodes! Life on the beach can be paradise, and that’s what these home buyers want. BUYING THE BEACH showcases properties on some of the most beautiful beaches around the U.S., from private islands to small bungalows. 3 p.m. – midnight ET – REDWOOD KINGS – Season 1 Marathon REDWOOD KINGS uncovers the artistry that goes into turning ancient reclaimed redwood trees into hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind, creative works of art. Twin brothers and tree titans Ron and John Daniels work side by side at their family-owned, 15-year-old company Daniel’s Wood Land, creating carvings of animated characters, feature films, theme park facades, and even custom playhouses and treehouses. Keeping every project on schedule and on budget is no easy task, but the crew of 40 carpenters, designers, artists, and engineers pull off jaw-dropping works of art. Tuesday, Dec. 22 Midnight – 2 a.m. ET – BLADE BROTHERS – Complete new series! Todd Begg is a knife-making legend with 20 years experience turning slabs of steel into five-figure collectables. Begg’s clients, ranging from the eccentric billionaire to the novice collector, seek out his talents for one-of-a-kind blades that combine art and function. As demand for Todd’s skills leads to a six-year backlog of orders, Todd recruits his brothers to help run the business. The only problem is they know nothing about making knives… 1 p.m. – 8 p.m. ET – GOLD RUSH – Season 6 Marathon Last season, Discovery’s ambitious gold miners were back at it and the stakes were never higher. Everything changed from new miners to new claims, new machines, and new ways to pull gold out of the ground. 8 p.m. – midnight ET – GOLD RUSH – Season 6 – New episodes! Jack Hoffman gets to chase his dream at El Dorado, the richest documented creek in North America. Parker’s crew pushes hard in attempt to have Treasure Island live up to its name. Tony Beets discovers his dredge is pouring gold out of its sluices. Wednesday, Dec. 23 Midnight – 3 a.m. ET – BOSS HOG – Complete new series! In recent years wild hogs have ravaged Texas, causing an estimated $1.5 billion in agricultural damage annually. Where most people would see this is a nuisance, Brian “Pigman” Quaca sees opportunity. BOSS HOG follows Pigman as he takes Texas’ wild hog problem and spins it into his own “pig empire”. From booking clients on high-end hog hunts to customizing hog hunting bows, and even stuffing and mounting trophy boars, Pigtime Enterprises makes money off every aspect of this rather (un)fortunate problem.  Noon – midnight ET – TREEHOUSE MASTERS – Season 3 & 4 Marathon Often described as a tree whisperer by his clients, colleagues, and contemporaries, Pete Nelson uses an approach that’s part science and part art to create incredible homes and businesses that are sustained by nature’s foundation – trees. Pete and his team erect the most outrageous treehouses designed to delight every whimsy, form, and function. Thursday, Dec. 24 2 p.m. – 11 p.m. ET – FANTOMWORKS – Season 2 – New episodes! Dan Short, owner of FantomWorks, is an automotive force of nature. He does whatever it takes to restore cars to the highest possible standard and doesn’t care who he has to steamroll, charm, or sandblast along the way. However the only way a restoration will succeed is if the owner is as committed to the restoration as Dan and his team.  10 p.m. ET – FAST & LOUD – Special Episode Richard Rawlings, Aaron Kaufman, and the Gas Monkeys are living the dream when they build a life-size Hot Wheels car. And what better car to build than one from the original “Sweet Sixteen” set that started the entire Hot Wheels movement in 1968?  Friday, Dec. 25 7 a.m. ET – RENOVATION WILD – New episode! Master reclaimer, restoration expert, and visionary Jay Chaikin and his crew of expert builders and designers are on a mission to track down and repurpose the coolest vintage structures and relics, recycling them into amazing, one-of-a-kind living spaces of the most spectacular variety.  8 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET – RESTORATION WILD – Complete new series! Chaikin scours the countryside to reclaim abandoned items and transform them into livable, spectacular spaces, helping his clients reconnect with nature. 1 p.m. – 9 p.m. ET – CANADA’S WORST DRIVER – Season 11 Marathon Season 11 sees Host Andrew Younghusband tackling excessive speed, following nine of the most appalling drivers from Canada as they make their way to the program’s infamous Rehabilitation Centre in Dunville, Ont. The nine drivers, each nominated by a friend or family member, are put to the test in a controlled-driving environment and evaluated by a panel of experts. Week by week, one driver will graduate, with the final episode featuring the last three drivers facing the ultimate showdown before one is ultimately crowned Season 11’s Worst Driver. 9 p.m. ET – HOW HARD CAN IT BE – TV Debut! According to Host Andrew Younghusband many things in life look amazing and difficult, but not impossible. Younghusband tests this theory and tries out various occupations. After all, how hard can it be? Saturday, Dec. 26 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. ET – EPIC BAR BUILDS – Complete new series! Viewers follow the men and women of the Heineman Bar Company (HBC) in Chicago as they create the most awesome, one-of-a-kind bars anywhere in the U.S. Led by bar-design savant Aaron Heineman, the team takes on custom barroom projects across the nation. No bar project is too big or too small for HBC, and they always rise to meet the challenges of each build. 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. ET – EPIC MANCAVE BUILDS – Complete new series! On the edge of the Wasatch Mountains in Utah, there’s a motley crew of torch-wielding, adrenaline-soaked fabricators hell bent on building the most epic man caves in the world. Metalwork mastermind Brandon Ruff heads the rough-and-tumble company known as Firemass Metal. Alongside his friends, Tomas, Bryan, Jake, and Nate, Team Firemass tears through garages, basements, and unused spaces across the country like a testosterone-infused wrecking ball. 6 p.m. – 2 a.m. ET – SHARK WEEK 2015 – Winter Edition Marathon – New episodes at 8 p.m. ET and 9 p.m. ET The summer’s most-anticipated annual TV event gets a yuletide rewind on Discovery, including MONSTER MAKO, ISLAND OF THE MEGA SHARK, SHARK WORLD, and the all-new SHARK: BEYOND THE BITE and SHARK-BENEATH THE SURFACE. Sunday, Dec. 27 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. ET – LAND RUSH – Season 1 Marathon Four modern-day pioneers face the challenge of their lives when they head into the Alaskan wilderness to build dream homesteads. Woodsman Danny Knowles plans to build his log cabin by hand; single mother Tiffany Allen wants to raise her eight-year-old son on a remote mountainside surrounded by wildlife; sea captain Greg Gabriel has a million-dollar view from his island site, but he must carry everything in by boat; and military veteran Jim Jones enlists an old Navy friend to help him find his land, but they get off to a rough start. 2 p.m. ET – LAND RUSH – Season 1 – New episode! Winter arrives as homesteaders race to finish their cabins. A serious injury threatens Jim’s build while Tiffany’s progress has her optimistic. Greg struggles to dry in his cabin, and Danny has just 24 hours to finish before the last plane leaves. 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. ET – HILLBILLY BLOOD – Complete new series! In the backwoods of Cold Mountain, North Carolina, known for fascinating characters and deep-rooted tradition, folks live off the land just like their parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents before them. They are committed to carrying on the custom of getting by with little and making do with less. 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. ET – BERING SEA GOLD – Season 5 Marathon In Nome, Alaska, the precious metal isn’t found in the ground, it’s sitting in the most unlikely of places: the bottom of the frigid, unpredictable Bering Sea. And there are a handful of people willing to risk it all to bring it to the surface. Each season follows a different group of dredgers, who search for gold in shallow waters – and maybe even become rich. Failure could yield a vast array of consequences, from possible jail time to injury and even death. 9 p.m. – midnight ET – BERING SEA GOLD – Season 5 – New episodes! Through the halfway point of the ice-mining season, every operation is pulling out all the stops to make it pay.  But the gold dredges and their eccentric crew will have to contend with the weight of the past before they can land on future riches. Monday, Dec. 28 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. ET – OUTBACK TRUCKERS – Season 3 Marathon Men and women in monster rigs attempting marathon runs along the toughest roads and loneliest highways in the world – they are Australia’s Outback Truckers. Full of dirt, drama, and danger, this series follows these skilled truckers as they haul their massive loads through hell on earth where only one thing matters: getting there and back alive. 6 p.m. – midnight ET– CHARLEY BOORMAN’S EXTREME FRONTIERS: USA – Complete new series! Charley Boorman tours the U.S., travelling more than 8,000 miles across 22 states to showcase the eclectic cultures, history, landscapes, locals, and adventure that the nation has to offer. Starting in Hawaii, he moves to Alaska, then to the eastern seaboard, down to the southern states, inland to the Gulf of Mexico, and up again to the Rockies before finishing on the Pacific Coast in Los Angeles. Tuesday, Dec. 29 11 a.m – midnight ET – HIGHWAY THRU HELL – Season 4 Marathon Jamie Davis is looking to expand his Heavy Recovery Operation while facing new challenges and bigger wrecks. The Jamie Davis Heavy Rescue crew faces significant change, as Davis’ brothers pitch in to help with both operations between two provinces. Wednesday, Dec. 30 2 p.m. – midnight – TANKED – Season 5 Marathon TANKED takes viewers into the high-decibel, family-owned business of Acrylic Tank Manufacturing (ATM), one of the U.S.’s leading and most successful builders of aquariums. Led by brothers-in-law (and business partners, best friends, and rivals) Brett Raymer and Wayde King, and housed in a state-of-the-art, cavernous facility located in the centre of Las Vegas, ATM has created thousands of enormous conceptual aquariums for high-profile clients. Thursday, Dec. 31 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. ET – 100 MILES FROM NOWHERE – Complete new series! Adventurer Matt Galland and his two best buddies Danny Bryson and Blake Josephson venture out to remote, extreme locations throughout the globe where cameras – let alone people – have rarely gone. In just three or four days, the trio treks approximately 100 miles while documenting and shooting their own escapades with absolutely no camera crew. Their incredible journey takes them to extreme landscapes, including steep mountains, insufferably hot deserts, freezing-cold canyons, and snake-infested jungles. 6 p.m. – 6 a.m. ET – RIVER MONSTERS – “Best of” Marathon Freshwater detective and biologist Jeremy Wade hunts for freshwater fish with a taste for human flesh. This rip-roaring ride through the dark side of nature mixes action and adventure with mysteries, edge-of-the-seat chases, and a battle of wills between human and near supernatural beasts. These killers lurk in the serpentine waterways of the planet, mooching murderously underwater and growing to truly awesome sizes. Friday, Jan. 1 6 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET – MYTHBUSTERS – Season 9 & 10 Marathon Viewers tag along in this scientific detective series that attempts to validate urban myths using every tool in the box. Hosts Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman investigate the claims of “true believers”. Each program looks at three myths before revealing which, if any, have basis in solid fact. 4 p.m. – midnight ET – NAKED AND AFRAID XL – Naked New Year’s Marathon A dozen of the smartest, most dynamic survivalists who have previously appeared on NAKED AND AFRAID find themselves stranded in a very remote area with no food, no water, and no clothing. A societal challenge, how will these six men and six women, all extreme survivalists with their own expertise, respond to each other if and when they meet up? Will they live together as one large group or will they break into smaller pockets of people? Will some want to survive solo for the full challenge? Saturday, Jan. 2 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. ET – ARCTIC RESCUE – Season 1 Marathon Fairbanks, Alaska is home to some of the harshest weather conditions in North America. When driving conditions become treacherous and motorists become stranded, three towing companies are called on to pull them to safety: Borealis, Ron’s, and Lucky 7. All programming is subject to change (all times ET; visit Discovery.ca to confirm local broadcast times). Source: Numeris (BBM Canada), 8/31/15-11/1/15 vs. 9/1/14-11/2/14.

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