Thursday, July 18, 2013

Vanessa Morgan and Sister on The Amazing Race Canada - Press Release

I know I'm a little (or a lot) late with posting this press release for The Amazing Race Canada (which premiered July 15), but better late than never right?! There is a picture of Vanessa and her sister, Celina at the bottom of the page.

*** Edited from Canada Newswire, click here to view more.

TORONTO, June 27, 2013 /CNW/ - The introductions are over, it's time to race! CTV announced today the final pairing of competitors for the first-ever season of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, this summer's most-anticipated television series. Hosted by Olympic Champion Jon Montgomery (@jrmonty12), the final teams announced to embark in the riveting, all-Canadian race around the country are actress Vanessa Morgan (MY BABYSITTER'S A VAMPIRE, DEGRASSI: THE NEXT GENERATION) and her bikini-model sister Celina, a pair of feisty siblings from Ottawa, ON. Joining them are Tim Senior, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease three years ago and his son Tim Junior from Winnipeg, MB. The two teams round out the cast of nine pairings in the race for the historic half-a-million dollar grand prize. Previously announced teams include dating couple Kristen and Darren, brothers Jody and Cory, twins Treena and Tennille, two sets of best friends - Jet and Dave, and Jamie and Pierre, fitness icons Hal and Joanne and doctors Holly and Brett. Set to anchor CTV's Summer 2013 schedule, THE AMAZING RACE CANADA airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET/PT beginning July 15 on CTV and live on CTV Mobile (visit CTV.ca to confirm local broadcast times).

**Media Note** Download artwork for THE AMAZING RACE CANADA at BellMediaPR.ca 

VANESSA and CELINA - Sisters

Name: Vanessa Morgan
Age: 21
Hometown: Ottawa, ON
Current occupation: Actress
Twitter: @VanessaMorgan, #vanessaandcelina

Name: Celina Mziray
Age: 30
Hometown: Ottawa, ON
Current occupation: Bikini Model
Twitter: @CelinaBallerina, #vanessaandcelina

Motto: "We are mini but mighty."

How will they plan to win the Race: "We may come across as naive or clueless, and we will use this to our advantage as we are not. Also we have lots of experience travelling and in airports."

Thousands of teams have entered, but only one team will run away with the historic grand prize for THE AMAZING RACE CANADA. Valued at more than half a million dollars including $250,000 in cash, the prize also features the opportunity to fly free for a year for two anywhere Air Canada flies worldwide (175 destinations) in Executive First Class (based on 10 trips for two), and two 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingrays. In total, the prize is equal to 167,224 hockey pucks, 178,572 cans of beer, and 33,356 half-liter jars of pure Canadian maple syrup.

With the knowledge that most Canadians have not travelled beyond their own province, THE AMAZING RACE CANADA gives Canadians the opportunity to race around Canada and discover the country they love in a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Teams will race to the finish line, criss-crossing up to 23,000 kilometres. A stunning depiction of the Canadian fabric, the teams will travel through both the country's urban centres as well as the most remote outposts in the land, all while exploring its broad cultural and ethnic diversity, wildlife, and iconic landmarks. Fans are encouraged to follow @AmazingRaceCDA and stay tuned to the CTV Facebook page for updates.

THE AMAZING RACE CANADA will also air TSN on Tuesdays at 12 a.m. ET/PT beginning July 16, on RDS2 Wednesdays at 6 p.m. ET beginning July 17, and TSN2 on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT beginning July 17, as well as on demand across CTV's digital platforms: including CTV.ca, the CTV App, the CTV Mobile channel on Bell Mobile TV, and through video on demand partners such as Bell Fibe TV following the broadcast.

The four top-tier sponsors for THE AMAZING RACE CANADA are Air Canada, BlackBerry®, INTERAC®, and Chevrolet Canada.

THE AMAZING RACE CANADA is based on THE AMAZING RACE, the nine-time, Emmy® award-winning, hit program created by Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri that premiered in 2001 in the United States. van Munster, Doganieri, and Mark Vertullo are executive producers for Worldrace Productions, a division of Profiles Television. Jerry Bruckheimer and Jonathan Littman are executive producers for Jerry Bruckheimer Television. The program is produced in association with ABC Studios. The U.S. version of THE AMAZING RACE was a Top 3 series last fall on CTV and is this season's #1 reality program in Canada with an average audience of 2.7 million viewers.

THE AMAZING RACE CANADA will be the 12th international version to launch outside of the United States, joining Asia, Australia, Brazil, China, France, Israel, Latin America, Norway, Philippines, Ukraine and Vietnam as territories with an original THE AMAZING RACE production.

THE AMAZING RACE CANADA will be produced by Insight Productions in association with CTV and with the support of Profiles Television. Executive Producers for Insight Productions are John Brunton and Barbara Bowlby, and Supervising Producer is Mark Lysakowski. Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri are executive producers for Profiles Television. Robin Johnston is the CTV Production Executive. Corrie Coe is Senior Vice-President, Independent Production, Bell Media. Mike Cosentino is Senior Vice-President, Programming, CTV Networks. Phil King is President, CTV Programming and Sports.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Twitter:
@CTV_PR
@CTV_Television
@AmazingRaceCDA
#RaceCDA
@AirCanada
@chevrolet

Facebook:
facebook.com/ctv

About Bell Media Independent Production
Bell Media has commissioned and co-produced some of Canada's most-watched and most-acclaimed original programming, while working with the best Canadian independent producers in the country. Hit CTV series include ratings success stories SAVING HOPE, THE LISTENER, and MOTIVE, the #1 new Canadian series of the 2012/13 season. Premiering this summer are relationship comedy SATISFACTION and THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, a Canadian-produced, complementary version of the hit international series. To premiere later in the 2013/14 season are the drama series PLAYED, multi-cam office comedy SPUN OUT, and hit international format MASTERCHEF CANADA. Among the scripted series on Bell Media specialty channels are the two-time Emmy®-nominated hit DEGRASSI, the recently renewed ORPHAN BLACK, and upcoming dramas BITTEN and 19-2. Bell Media specialty channels are also home to reality series PANIC BUTTON and BRAVE NEW GIRL, game shows MATCH GAME and POP QUIZ, and factual series HIGHWAY THRU HELL, and LAST CAR STANDING. In total, Bell Media ordered 27 new original Canadian series in 2012, and put 35 scripted projects into development.

About CTV
CTV is Canada's #1 private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV has been Canada's most-watched television network for the past 12 years in a row. CTV is a division of Bell Media, Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio and digital. Bell Media is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. More information about CTV can be found on the network's website at CTV.ca

About Insight Production Company Ltd.
Insight Production Company Ltd., headed by John Brunton & Barbara Bowlby has become an industry leader in the creative development, financing and production of highly rated television programs and cutting edge multiplatform content for the global market in every genre. Since 1979, it has been recognized for its reputation for outstanding quality as the recipient of numerous International awards, including multiple Gemini's. The company has created thousands of hours of groundbreaking television that continues to be broadcast over major networks worldwide. For more information visit www.insighttv.com.

- CTV -

Image with caption: "L - R: Vanessa and Celina (CNW Group/CTV)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20130627_C3719_PHOTO_EN_28563.jpg

SOURCE: CTV

For further information: Jacqui VanSickle, CTV, 416.384.5091 or Jacqueline.vansickle@bellmedia.ca
Jim Quan, CTV, 416.384.5311 or jim.quan@bellmedia.ca
Cary Mignault, Unit Publicity Manager, Insight Productions, 416-435-9295, cmignault@insighttv.com

CTV. Vanessa Morgan & her sister, Celina Mziray. Click photo to enlarge.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Where is Season 3 of My Babysitter's a Vampire?


ATTENTION: My Babysitter's a Vampire NOT Renewed a 3rd Season

It's been a year since season two of My Babysitter's a Vampire premiered on Disney Channel in the United States (June 29, 2012). Last fall we were left seeing a supernatural explosion in Whitechapel, and pondering the fates of Ethan (Matthew Knight), Sarah (Vanessa Morgan), Benny (Atticus Mitchell), Jesse (Joe Dinicol) [and evil Vice Principal Stern (Richard Waugh)].

We're all now asking the question(s), where is MBAV's season 3 and/or has it been renewed? To keep a very long story short, via Julie Giles (Twitter, Tumblr) from Fresh TV (Twitter, Tumblr) and the official MBAV Facebook group; Teletoon has chosen not to renew the show for a 3rd season (despite the fact Freemantle Media's website said MBAV was Teletoon's #2 show). I don't know for sure why they chose not to, finances would be my guest. It's expensive to do TV show's you know!

Julie however has said Fresh TV is seeking to find another [Canadian] broadcaster (or network) to air the series. "What about Disney Channel?!" Well for one, MBAV is a show Disney Channel already acquired (I don't think they'd want to make the effort to make the series an original). And secondly, if MBAV became Disney Channel's it'd become one of their typical, stereotypical, mediocre, and overly laugh-track filled comedy series (Dog With a Blog, Good Luck Charlie (season 3-present), Shake It Up, Austin & Ally are the worst in my opinion). MBAV to me is a show that could be fit in with some "classic" Disney Channel shows (i.e. That's So Raven, Lizzie McGuire, Hannah Montana (seasons 1-3), Wizards of Waverly Place, Kim Possible... Disney shows prior to 2010.)

But that is what the year-long 'wait' for MBAV to return is, just Fresh TV searching for another home for the series. The show is not canceled, but it's not renewed [yet] either. I know fans don't want to hear this word/like it, but we still have to patiently wait and for now, find other shows that keep our minds preoccupied from MBAV (or watch the reruns if they air or watch the DVDs if you have them).

Other than financing - because MBAV is Teletoon's only live-action TV series - I can't really think of reasons why Teletoon let the series go. Please pass this post around to anyone who is wondering about the status of the series. And be sure to not only follow me (links to the right of the blog), but follow Fresh TV/Julie Giles (links above) for updates. Thank you.