Corus Entertainment Debuts its Biggest Slate of Specialty Series Ever

Corus Networks Reign as the Home for Marquee Peacock Originals in English Canada Welcoming New Standout Scripted Series Dr. Death (Joshua Jackson, Grace Gummer, AnnaSophia Robb, Christian Slater, Alec Baldwin), MacGruber (Will Forte), Joe Exotic (Kate McKinnon and John Cameron Mitchell), Angelyne (Emmy Rossum), Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol, Bel-Air(Executive Produced by Will Smith), and Many More

New 2021/22 Pickups Also Include Buzzworthy Reimagined Series 4400, Chucky (Jennifer Tilly), and Naomi (Executive Produced by Ava DuVernay)

Corus' Unrivaled Slate of New Unscripted Titles Feature Ex Rated with Andy Cohen, Amy Poehler's Baking It, Top Chef Family Style Hosted by Meghan Trainor, Real Housewives Mash-Up, and Below Deck: Down Under

All New and Returning Series Set to Stream Live and On Demand with
STACKTV or the Global TV App

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TORONTO, June 8, 2021 /CNW/ - Compelling dramas, unrivaled unscripted titles, star-studded talent, and family-friendly content all join Corus Entertainment's 2021/22 lineup of premium specialty programming, as announced today ahead of the #CorusUpfront. Debuting across Corus' powerful suite of networks and platforms, this newly acquired content complements the previously announced stacked slate of 35 Canadian originals renewed and greenlit for its specialty portfolio.

"Corus is positioned to deliver one of the most sought-after lineups of must-see TV this year with our biggest slate of specialty series ever, all backed by the biggest names in Hollywood in front of and behind the camera," said Daniel Eves, Senior Vice President of Networks, Corus Entertainment. "Thanks in large part to firmly established relationships with our U.S. partners, we're proud to unveil an unmatched offering of new and returning hits across the spectrum of scripted and unscripted entertainment."

As a defined leader in entertainment, Corus claimed five of the Top 10 specialty networks this year,* more than any other broadcaster,* and racked up 13 of the Top 20 entertainment specialty programs in fall and spring.** A long-time pioneer in the kids' space, the company proudly held 20 of the Top 20 kids programs last fall and seven of the Top 10 kids channels this year.****

Corus Entertainment presents its 2021/22 roster of acquired new and returning series across its specialty networks below. For more details on all specialty programming, please click here.

SCRIPTED DRAMA & COMEDY

As the Canadian home of marquee Peacock Original series in English Canada, the following can't-miss content packed with major star power will land on Corus' top drama networks, W Network and Showcase, in addition to STACKTV and the Global TV App with full series, long-term stacking rights.

This fall, high-octane action comedy MacGruber debuts, starring and executive produced by Will Forte, as well as Dr. Death, inspired by the terrifying true story of Dr. Christopher Duntsch and starring Canadian actor Joshua Jackson, Grace Gummer, AnnaSophia RobbwithChristian Slaterand Alec Baldwin. From page to screen, two series based on best-selling novels join the lineup including Dan Brown'sThe Lost Symbol, based on the third novel in the Da Vinci Codeseries, and One of Us is Lying, based on the novel of the same title by Karen M. McManus, which tells the story about five high schoolers who walk into detention and only four make it out alive.

Corus specialty also adds new titles with fresh takes on iconic series and retellings of true stories with Bel-Air, a dramatic and timely update of the 90's sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, with a notable executive producer team of Will Smith, Terence Carter, James Lassiter, Miguel Melendez, Quincy Jones, Benny Medina, and Andy and Susan Borowitz. Also confirmed to premiere is Angelyne, starring Emmy Rossum, about the enigmatic billboard queen who was famous for being famous long before the rise of reality TV celebrities and social media influencers. Additional series include a vibrant reimagining of pioneering LGBTQ+ series Queer as Folk; ensemble comedy Bust Down executive produced by Lorne Michaels; and a third movie from the mystery-comedy franchise Pysch, titled Psych 3: This is Gus.

W Network and Showcase attract even more drama with new attention-getting pickups such as the slasher series Chucky starring Jennifer Tilly, then 4400, a sci-fi drama based on the original TV series, which follows the story of 4,400 overlooked, undervalued, or otherwise marginalized people who vanished without a trace and inexplicably, were all returned in an instant to Detroit, MI. New DC drama Naomi from Oscar^®-nominee and Emmy^® Award-winner Ava DuVernay follows a teen girl's journey from her small northwestern town to the heights of the Multiverse.

More information, along with network and streaming details for these highly-anticipated series, will be announced at a later date.

As W Network continues its reign as #1 specialty network with women this year,* Saved by the Bell returns after the inaugural season claimed a Top 5 entertainment specialty program spot last fall with adults and women** and family drama series A Million Little Things joins the schedule. Viewers can also look forward to returning seasons of Nancy Drewand Five Bedrooms, while two of the network's most beloved series, Outlander and Charmed are back for new seasons this spring.

Showcase also sees popular hit series return including: Batwoman, The Sinner, All American, Legacies, and A.P. Bio. Next spring, sci-fi drama Roswell, New Mexico is back for its fourth season with more extraterrestrial intrigue and mystery.

Two years after its arrival in Canada, Adult Swim continues to perform as a Top 20 specialty network* delivering distinctive original animated comedies and live-action programming to a dedicated fan base. This fall, Adult Swim ushers in brand new animated series Teenage Euthanasia, centering around the Fantasy family and their inland Florida funeral home, Tender Endings, and Smiling Friends, an animated take on self-help, in which Smiling Friends Inc. is there to lend a helping hand to any city inhabitant who calls their hotline with their troubling situation. Blade Runner: Black Lotus, an anime series set in the world of the Blade Runner film franchise, is also set to premiere this fall.

New seasons of Joe Pera Talks With You, Robot Chicken, Squidbillies, Three Busy Debras, Archer, and Harley Quinn also return.

UNSCRIPTED AND REALITY

The full slate of Peacock Original unscripted and reality titles will also premiere on Corus-owned networks, including the eagerly anticipated Real Housewives Mash-Up (wt), which whisks away an all-star franchise cast from their respective cities to a fabulous locale where fireworks will surely ignite. Reality TV lovers can also look forward to The Real Housewives of Miami(in development),  the addition of Below Deck: Down Under, showcasing the upstairs/downstairs of an Australian-based super-yacht, and Ex Rated with Andy Cohen, a no-holds-barred series aimed at empowering singles with insight on how they can improve their romantic experiences.

Foodies can look forward to two delicious new series sure to tickle their taste buds. Top Chef Family Style showcases exceptionally talented young chefs teaming up with an adult family member partner to compete for a chance to be crowned champions. Grammy^® Award-winning global powerhouse Meghan Trainorwill host the series and serve as a judge alongside acclaimed chef winner and best-selling cookbook author Marcus Samuelsson and a list of surprising and iconic guest judges. Come the holiday season, event series Baking It from executive producer Amy Poehlerwill kick off with teams of two talented home bakers competing with their most delectable savory and sweet edible creations.

More information and network details for these series will be announced at a later date.

Top 10 specialty network,* Food Network Canada, the nation's authority for masterful cuisine content, sees a jam-packed lineup of new and returning programming featuring famous faces, respected culinary icons and heart-racing competition series. Viewers can look forward to extensions of their favourite franchises Buddy vs. Duff: Baker Battle, starring the teams of the kings of cake Buddy Valastro and Duff Goldman, and The Great Food Truck Race: All Stars, which sees seven winning alumni teams return for an action-packed culinary journey to decide which truck is the ultimate champion, hosted by Tyler Florence. Later this fall, baked-goods lovers are treated to the most wonderful time of the year with a slate of spellbinding Halloween titles including Top 20 entertainment specialty program last fall, Halloween Baking Championship,** a new season of Halloween Wars and a fresh slate of festive holiday content to come. Buddy vs. Duff,*** a Top 20 entertainment specialty program last spring, returns to the schedule alongside new episodes of Beat Bobby Flay and Guy's Grocery Games.

Canada's Top 10* haven for design, renovation, and inspiration, HGTV Canada, moves into the fall with brand new programming set to satisfy every style. Darling duo, Ben and Erin Napier, from HGTV Canada's #2 series this spring, Home Town** extend their franchise with a spectacular whole-town makeover in Home Town Takeover. The six-episode event series will showcase 12 major renovations all over Wetumpka, Ala., including restaurants, shops, historic homes, public spaces, a new farmers' market — and even an entire downtown street — with the goal that the impact will ripple through the community for generations to come. Then, the network introduces the Charleston, South Carolina-based series, Breaking Bland, with new designer Mary Welch Stasik, who breaks all design boundaries and encourages clients to eschew traditional looks to create a truly personalized space. Also debuting is Curb Appeal Xtreme, following a talented trio of design experts as they dramatically overhaul the front and backyards of homes in Nashville, Tenn., creating breathtaking outdoor living spaces. New seasons of returning favourites highlight the schedule with one of the network's top series last fall, Help! I Wrecked My House,** plusGood Bones, My Lottery Dream Home, and Flipping 101 with Tarek El Moussa.

Bringing history to life with expert storytelling, compelling characters, and dramatic recreations, HISTORY® sets a legendary lineup for the upcoming season. Academy Award^®-winning actor Morgan Freeman joins the network in Great Escapes with Morgan Freeman, and reveals in detail history's greatest convict escapes from some of the most notorious prisons in the world. Additional new series to join the Top 10 specialty network* include Machines That Built America, Modern Marvels: Machines, and Man vs. History, where acclaimed storyteller and local historian Bil Lepp discovers the truth behind mysteries and legends of American history. Last fall's biggest specialty entertainment programs, #1 series TheCurse of Oak Island** and #1 freshman series The Secret of Skin Walker Ranch** come back with new seasons, along with History's Greatest Mysteries hosted by Emmy^® Award-winning actor Laurence Fishburne. New episodes of the fan-favourite shows Forged in Fire and Counting Cars also premiere early this fall.

Known for bold reality programming and being the exclusive Canadian broadcast network for powerhouse franchises The Real Housewives and Below Deck, Slice™ kicks off fall with Summer House: Winter Charm. Featuring a popular cast of members from Summer Houseand Southern Charm, as well as their friends, the series follows their adventures during a two-week vacation at a ski house in Vermont. Come early 2022, new series Below Deck Adventure joins the slate, seeing wealthy thrill-seekers on the mega-yacht trip of a lifetime experiencing thrilling adventures and daredevil activities all against some of the world's most beautiful backdrops. New seasons of hotly anticipated series include Vanderpump Rules, and The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.

HALLMARK CHANNEL ON W NETWORK

Year-round Hallmark Channel programming on W Network continues to capture Canadians. With the massive success of its seasonal events and a passionate fan base that can't get enough of Hallmark Channel's signature heartwarming movies, starting in September Hallmark Channel on W Network will now encompass weekdays from 6 a.m. ET/PT to 1 p.m. ET/PT and weekend programming will kick off Fridays and Sundays at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Exclusive premieres continue with W Network saying "I do" to the brand-new movie trilogy, The Wedding Veil, starring Lacey Chabert, Alison Sweeney, and Autumn Reeser, which follows three close but far-flung college friends who, during one of their annual trips together, discover an enchanted antique that changes each of their lives. Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas remains a top audience driver, once again placing W Network as the #1 specialty station overall with both adults and women during the programming event.***** This year, the annual fan-favourite and most-watched holiday celebration, which runs throughout November and December, is spreading even more holiday cheer with 40 new movie premieres.

KIDS

As Canada's first dedicated network for kids, YTV is a trailblazer in family entertainment, making it the best-in-class destination for all things fun-expected. This fall, YTV makes a splash with CG-animated SpongeBob SquarePants spinoff and prequel, Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years, which follows 10-year-old SpongeBob and his pals during summer sleepaway camp and The Patrick Star Show, the second SpongeBob SquarePants spinoff, starring Patrick and his family. YTV delivers more laughs with new series Middlemost Post following a former rain cloud, a brawny mail carrier and their magical pet walrus as they deliver packages to the unusual inhabitants of Mount Middlemost. The fun continues with new live-action comedy series That Girl Lay Lay starring teen sensation and hip-hop artist Alaya "That Girl Lay Lay" High as an avatar from a personal affirmation app that magically comes to life. This winter, a familiar classic will make its return as a reimagining of Nick's '90s hit Rugrats that will reunite members of the original voice cast and follow the iconic crew of toddlers. Returning to YTV for new seasons are Danger Force and It's Pony.

TELETOON boasts hilarious comedies and edge-of-your-seat action with dynamic series for kids and animation lovers. This fall, the first-rate animation station will see the premiere of two new HBO Max Original series, Jellystone and Tom and Jerry in New York. In addition, look out for the We Bare Bears spinoff series, We Baby Bears, plus, new seasons of Teen Titans Go!, Animaniacs, DC Super Hero Girls, Victor and Valentino, and Craig of the Creek coming soon.

Delivering children and their families high-quality educational, imaginative, and entertaining programs, Treehouse is the #1 overall kids specialty network welcoming Thomas and Friends: All Engines Go™, a new season of the Thomas & Friends series featuring vibrant 2D animation and new episodes ofBaby Shark's Big Show. Returning series of preschooler favourites include Blue's Clues & You! andEmma!.

Corus continues to exclusively offer the newest series, specials and Disney movies on Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney XD in Canada, day and date with the U.S, tapping into the world of kids and families through imagination, laughter, and optimism. Disney Channel prepares for the spooktacular animated buddy comedy The Ghost and Molly McGee which follows tween optimist Molly, who lives to make the world a better place, and grumpy ghost Scratch, whose job is to spread misery. The network creeps it real with Under Wraps, a contemporary comedic remake of the first-ever Disney Channel Original Movie which follows three 12-year-old friends, Gilbert, Marshall and Amy, as they accidentally revive a mummy they discover in a neighbour's basement a few days before Halloween. This holiday season unwrap Christmas Again, a funny and heartwarming Disney Channel Original Movie about the magic of Christmas and creating new traditions. Topping off the network's lineup are new seasons of animated series Amphibia and Big City Greens.

Over on Disney Junior, engaging programming for younger children and their families continues with magical, musical and heartfelt stories. The network sees the debut of Marvel's Spidey and his Amazing Friends, Marvel's first full-length series for preschoolers, and Mickey Mouse Funhouse, a whimsical animated series with Mickey Mouse and his pals that introduces audiences to Funny, an enchanted talking playhouse who leads the Sensational Six on imaginative adventures. Also joining the lineup is the animated music-filled series Eureka!, which tells the story of a young girl inventor living in a fantastical prehistoric world.

Production credits: 
Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol, 4400, A Million Little Things,Nancy Drew, and Charmed are all Distributed by ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group.

Sources:
Numeris PPM Data, Total Canada, AMA(000), A25-54 unless otherwise stated

*Station ranker: BY20-21 YTD (Aug 31/20 – Apr 25/21), M-Su 2a-2a, CDN SPEC COM ENG, Adults=A25-54, Women = F25-54

**Program Ranker: FL'20 (Aug 31/20 – Jan 3/21), SP'21 STD (Jan 4 – Apr 25/21), 3+ airings, CDN SPEC COM ENG excluding sports, Adults=A25-54, Women = F25-54

***Program Ranker: SP'20 (Dec 30/19 - May 31/20), 3+ airings, CDN SPEC COM ENG excluding sports

****Kids Rankers: Kids English Specialty Stations, K2-11//Station Ranker based on BY20-21 YTD (Aug 31/20 – Apr 25/21), M-Su 2a-2a//Program ranker based on FL'20 (Aug 31/20 – Jan 3/21) 3+ airings

*****Station Ranker: Countdown to Christmas dates (Nov 1/20 – Jan 1/21), CDN SPEC COM ENG, Adults=A25-54, Women = F25-54

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About Corus Entertainment Inc.
Corus Entertainment Inc. (TSX: CJR.B) is a leading media and content company that develops and delivers high quality brands and content across platforms for audiences around the world.  Engaging audiences since 1999, the company's portfolio of multimedia offerings encompass 33 specialty television services, 39 radio stations, 15 conventional television stations, a suite of digital and streaming assets, animation software, technology and media services. Corus is an internationally-renowned content creator and distributor through Nelvana, a world class animation studio expert in all formats and Corus Studios, a globally recognized producer of hit scripted and unscripted content. The company also owns innovative full-service social digital agency so.da, lifestyle entertainment company Kin Canada, leading 2D animation software supplier Toon Boom and children's book publishing house, Kids Can Press. Corus' roster of premium brands includes Global Television, W Network, HGTV Canada, Food Network Canada, HISTORY®, Showcase, Adult Swim, National Geographic, Disney Channel Canada, YTV, Global News, Globalnews.ca, Q107, Country 105, and CFOX, along with broadly distributed Canadian streaming platforms STACKTV, Nick+, the Global TV App and Curiouscast. For more information visit www.corusent.com.

SOURCE Corus Entertainment Inc.