TORONTO – George Stroumboulopoulos will be the one pre-empting Peter Mansbridge, as the veteran Canadian broadcaster and music expert will host the new American reality program The One: Making a Music Star on both ABC and CBC beginning next week.
The series will follow eleven contestants attending a state-of-the-art music academy in Los Angeles as they compete for a major recording contract. It premieres live July 18 at 9 p.m. on ABC and CBC Television with the live results show airing the following night, July 19 at 8 p.m. on ABC and CBC Television.
This is the show pre-empting CBC The National for a day each week this summer, which helped set of a spasm of complaints about the Ceeb from many quarters in recent weeks.
A Canadian version of the series will be broadcast by CBC Television in the fall. (Correction: An earlier version of this story said the program will be produced by Moses Znaimer. Znaimer will produce Rumours, another CBC TV show to air this fall. Cartt.ca regrets the error).
"Stroumboulopoulos wowed producers and was chosen to become the new host of The One: Making A Music Star," says today’s press release.
“I’ve been around the music industry for a long time and worked with all kinds of artists at different stages of their careers,” said Stroumboulopoulos, in the statement. "I’m excited to be working on a show with people who will be getting fully prepared for what it’s really like in the music business, the good and the bad."
Viewers will have behind-the-scenes access to each singer as they live and learn with their fellow contestants at the academy including all the drama – from romances and rivalries to tears and triumphs. Each week contestants will perform live, with audiences voting to keep their favourite performer in the competition. The following night viewers will see the live results of their vote, with one contestant being eliminated each week.
“It is wonderful that ABC sees the same great talent we’ve seen in George,” said Kirstine Layfield, executive director of network programming, CBC Television, in the release. “The ABC/CBC simulcast gives audiences across North America the opportunity to get to know George. His presence will undoubtedly resonate with our Canadian audience and build momentum for CBC’s Canadian version this fall.”
Stroumboulopoulos is the host of The Hour, CBC’s late-night talk show. Before joining CBC Television, he was a producer and host of MuchMusic’s The Punk Show, The NewMusic, Loud and MuchNews and has done extensive work in radio.
