Elysia Ferreira
Bell Media
Etalk – The Social – Bell Let’s Talk – CTV Your Morning – The Good Stuff With Mary Berg
HEAVY RESCUE: 401 Premiere is Most-Watched in Discovery History
– HIGHWAY THRU HELL spin-off series continues, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on Discovery –
TORONTO (January 12, 2017) – An audience of nearly 720,000 people tuned in to watch the Jan. 3 debut of Discovery’s newest original Canadian series HEAVY RESCUE: 401, it was confirmed today, making it the most-watched premiere in the network’s 22-year history. To date, more than 3.3 million unique viewers – or nearly one in 10 Canadians – have tuned in to the first episode. The season continues with episodes airing in Discovery’s prime timeslot, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, paired with the network’s most-watched series, GOLD RUSH.
“With this record debut for Discovery, we have what clearly appears to be yet another genuine success story on our hands with this high-quality, highly engaging series that tells uniquely Canadian stories – the underpinning of Discovery’s primetime schedule,” said Ken MacDonald, Vice-President and General Manager, Discovery Networks. “We had great confidence in commissioning this new, nine-episode debut season as a spinoff to the smash hit HIGHWAY THRU HELL, which has freshly completed a fifth, record-breaking season, and is now in production on Season 6.”
Produced byThunderbird Entertainment’s factual arm Great Pacific Media – the makers of the Discovery’s hit Canadian primetime series HIGHWAY THRU HELL – HEAVY RESCUE: 401 follows multiple major tow operators, rescue, and maintenance crews day and night along North America’s most intense stretch of highway, Highway 401.
HEAVY RESCUE: 401 follows on a tradition of making shows that are a “force for good,” according to Executive Producer Mark Miller. “After HIGHWAY THRU HELL began airing on Discovery, crashes on the Coquihalla dropped by 50%. Most viewers are also drivers, and they took note of the danger and changed their driving behaviours. We hope HEAVY RESCUE will do the same for the 401, which today was ranked the ninth most clogged artery in Canada and the United States.”
“Our goal is to produce quality content that earns high ratings, and HEAVY RESCUE: 401 and HIGHWAY THRU HELL both do that in spades,” said Ivan Fecan, Thunderbird’s Executive Chair.
Source: Numeris, includes prelimary data
About Great Pacific Media:
Great Pacific Media is a global leader in factual television. Started by TV veterans Blair Reekie and Mark Miller, their programs are seen in more than 170 countries. They specialize in development, production, co-production, and financing of factual, documentary, game show and reality television. Great Pacific Media was recently acquired by Thunderbird Entertainment to accelerate the growth of Thunderbird’s presence in the unscripted television space. The Thunderbird Group includes UK-based theatrical distributor Soda Pictures and Vancouver-based production companies Reunion Pictures and Atomic Cartoons. www.greatpacifictv.com/
About Bell Media Independent Production:
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 ratings success stories SAVING HOPE, the record-breaking THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, and MASTERCHEF CANADA. Upcoming original series on CTV include CARDINAL and THE DISAPPEARANCE. Among the original series on Bell Media pay, specialty, and streaming platforms are the internationally acclaimed ORPHAN BLACK, Space’s most-watched original series KILLJOYS, Bravo’s award-winning and most-watched original drama 19-2, award-winning dramedy SENSITIVE SKIN, CraveTV comedies LETTERKENNY and RUSSELL PETERS IS THE INDIAN DETECTIVE, Discovery’s first-ever drama FRONTIER, Comedy’s new satirical news series THE BEAVERTON, and nine new series and specials for food and lifestyle channel Gusto, including ONE WORLD KITCHEN and FISH THE DISH. Discovery is also home to Bell Media’s hit factual series HIGHWAY THRU HELL, COLD WATER COWBOYS, and CANADA’S WORST DRIVER, among others. Bell Media is one of the first media companies in North America to commit to producing all new original scripted series in 4K.
About Discovery:
With compelling real-life programming that inspires and entertains, Discovery reveals the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement. Discovery ranks as the #1 Canadian entertainment specialty network among total viewers and all the adult demos. Discovery offers a signature mix of adrenaline-charged stories, larger-than-life personalities and vivid imagery for viewers with curious minds. With the best non-fiction programming from Canada and around the world, Discovery captures the excitement of a passion for life – one lived fully and at its most extreme. With exceptional and immersive storytelling, the channel offers in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses at the extraordinary people and places that shape our world. Launched in Canada in 1995, Discovery is now available in more than eight million Canadian homes. Discovery Canada is a joint venture between Bell Media, which is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada’s largest communications company, and Discovery Communications Inc. Find more information and interactive online features at Discovery.ca.
Contact
Get the latest announcements from Bell Media
Subscribe to our media lists to receive official press releases and alerts from Bell Media PR.