TRANSPLANT Debuts #1 for Canada’s CTV

TORONTO (March 12, 2020) – CTV’s newest original series, hospital drama TRANSPLANT, has debuted #1 in Canada, recording the biggest audience of the year for any Canadian drama, and the largest audience since 2017 for a new Canadian series. When it premiered February 26 on Canada’s #1 network, CTV, TRANSPLANT delivered a 2.6 rating with Adults 18-49 (L+7) in the territory’s biggest market, Toronto, on its way to a national audience of 1.3 million total viewers. The ratings success was underscored with a timeslot win, delivering more viewers than competitor simulcasts of SEAL TEAM and CHICAGO FIRE. The debut episode reached one in 10 Canadians, or 3.7 million viewers. Episode 2, which debuted March 4, maintained 99% of the series premiere audience with total viewers and Adults 18-34 (L+4). The 13-part, one-hour CTV Original drama is produced in association with Montréal’s Sphère Média Plus and NBCUniversal International Studios, with NBCUniversal also handling global distribution. “This timely and compelling new series has been embraced by viewers and is resonating with people across Canada after only one episode,” said Mike Cosentino, President, Content and Programming, Bell Media. “With an incredible portrayal of lead character Bash by Hamza Haq, TRANSPLANT perfectly combines strong characters with engaging storylines over 13 episodes.” TRANSPLANT is about Dr. Bashir “Bash” Hamed (Hamza Haq, QUANTICO), a Syrian refugee now living in Canada who risks everything to prove he is really a battle-tested emergency room doctor. The series stars an ensemble cast anchored by Haq, including Laurence Leboeuf (19-2, THE DISAPPEARANCE), John Hannah (MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D., Four Weddings and a Funeral), Jim Watson (MARY KILLS PEOPLE), and Ayisha Issa (Polar, Immortals). Developed at CTV, TRANSPLANT is produced with the participation of the Canada Media Fund, the Bell Fund, and the IPF’s Cogeco Television Production Fund. The series is created and written by Joseph Kay (FRONTIER, LIVING IN YOUR CAR). For Sphère Média Plus Executive producers are Bruno Dubé, Virginia Rankin, Tara Woodbury, Joseph Kay, Jeremy Spry, and Jocelyn Deschênes; and Holly Dale is Co-Executive Producer and Director of the pilot. For NBCUniversal International Studios, Amal Baggar is VP Scripted Programming. TRANSPLANT is produced by Sphère Média Plus in association with CTV and NBCUniversal International Studios, a division of NBCUniversal Content Studios. For CTV, Michele McMahon and Gosia Kamela are Production Executives; Tom Hastings is Director, Drama, Original Programming; Corrie Coe is Senior Vice-President, Original Programming, Bell Media; Pat DiVittorio is Vice-President, Programming, CTV and Specialty, Bell Media. Mike Cosentino is President, Content and Programming, Bell Media. Randy Lennox is President, Bell Media.