TORONTO — CBC, Insight Productions and The Gurin Company announced today production details for their new original Canadian competition format Canada’s Ultimate Challenge, which will be hosted by sports broadcasters Craig McMorris (above, left) and Nikki Reyes (right).
Filming this summer and scheduled to premiere on CBC and CBC Gem in winter 2023, Canada’s Ultimate Challenge “turns the entire country into one giant obstacle course with challenges in Whitehorse, YK; Squamish, BC; Kelowna, BC; Hinton, AB; Sudbury, ON; Thousand Islands, ON; and Québec City, QC; culminating with the finale on the Confederation Bridge between New Brunswick and PEI,” reads a CBC press release.
In the eight-episode series, 24 competitors from across Canada will be coached and mentored by six iconic Canadian athletes – Donovan Bailey, Waneek Horn-Miller, Clara Hughes, Gilmore Junio, Jen Kish and Luke Willson.
Competing as six teams of four, the players will go through solo, tandem and team challenges that put their physical and mental skills to the test, the release explains.
As hosts, McMorris and Reyes “anchor the show, bringing their energy, humour, insight, and impressive broadcast credentials to bear, while connecting viewers to the heart of the action and guiding them through the entire competition,” the release reads.
McMorris is a professional snowboarder who has been a CBC Sports analyst since 2014, while Reyes has worked as a sports television anchor, reporter and producer for the past two decades, including for TSN’s flagship show SportsCentre and on TSN 1050.
The hosts of Canada’s Ultimate Challenge will call the play-by-play and interview the competitors “as they experience the agony of defeat and the joy of victory, capturing all the drama of this unique competition series,” the release says.
“Featuring superstar athlete coaches and set against the backdrop of our beautiful country, Canada’s Ultimate Challenge will inspire audiences of all ages across the country to cheer on their hometown competitors as they strive to achieve their personal best,” said Jennifer Dettman, executive director of unscripted content at the CBC, in the release.
“Nikki and Craig are the perfect hosts to take audiences on this exciting cross-country journey, with their extensive backgrounds in sport and fun sense of spontaneity, and we look forward to sharing this fresh adventure with Canadians in the new year,” Dettman said.
“Both Nikki and Craig bring a natural charm and excitement to the show — they know sport, they know people, and they know how to ask all the right questions of the players and coaches,” said Mark Lysakowski, executive producer and senior vice-president at Insight Productions. “Canadians are absolutely going to enjoy getting to know this next dynamic duo as the competition unfolds.”
“We are so excited to be launching this original new format in Canada with CBC and Insight Productions. Turning the country into one giant obstacle course — from natural environments to purpose-built locations…from remote locations to big cities — is truly epic,” said Phil Gurin, president and CEO of The Gurin Company.
“With groups of complete strangers working together to create strong, diverse teams under the guidance of our superstar athletes, our unique league travels the country to face familiar locations turned upside down by truly ultimate solo, tandem and team challenges. There are unexpected twists and turns throughout the series, and we can’t wait to share the sites, action and stories with viewers,” Gurin said.
A CBC original series, Canada’s Ultimate Challenge is executive produced by Lysakowski and John Brunton for Insight Productions, A Boat Rocker Company, and Phil Gurin for The Gurin Company. Jeff Thrasher is the series producer for Insight Productions.
For CBC, Sally Catto is general manager of entertainment, factual and sports, Dettman is executive director of unscripted content, and Ann-Marie Redmond is executive in charge of production.
International format rights are being handled by The Gurin Company.
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Photo courtesy of CBC and Insight Productions. Photo credit: Jonathan Jude.
