Corus announced Tuesday the greenlight for the new Home Network series Property Pursuit and Season 2 of Beer Budget Reno, as well as a new co-production with A+E Global Media, Countdown to Zero Hour, for The History Channel. These titles join a previously announced slate of Canadian original titles premiering later this year.
In addition, Corus announced Corus Studios sold 1,771 episodes — representing 1,682 hours of content — into international markets over the past year alone.
Produced by McGillivray Entertainment Media (MEM) in association with Corus Studios for Home Network, Property Pursuit (20 episodes x 60 minutes) follows homeowners as they chase their next big move up the property ladder — from their first place to their dream space.
“Property Pursuit is more than choosing a property. It’s about the meaning behind every move. These homes mark milestones, celebrate ambition, and launch new chapters. The journey ends with a powerful before and after moment that reveals how far the homeowners have come in square footage, in lifestyle, and in life,” reads a synopsis in Corus’s press release.
The second season of Beer Budget Reno (10 episodes x 60 minutes) is set to begin filming this spring and will see host Kristen Coutts deliver more transformational renovations for those who have been told their dream home is out of reach.
“Everyone has a vision for their space, but for many, that dream quickly fades when the quotes start rolling in. Kristen believes no budget is too small. Armed with a toolkit of creative, money-saving hacks, she specializes in turning tired, outdated spaces into fresh, functional homes,” says a description of the series, which is produced by Proper Television, a Blue Ant Studios company, for Home Network and A+E Global Media.
Corus said Home Network has four additional Canadian original titles set to premiere this year. These include the new series Life is Messy (eight episodes x 60 minutes), produced by Scott Brothers Entertainment in association with Corus Studios, which follows designer/realtor Kortney Wilson and contractor Kenny Brain as they help overwhelmed homeowners tackle the most chaotic households. Life is Messy is set to premiere on Home Network this spring.
Also premiering this spring, Season 3 of Renovation Resort (eight episodes x 60 minutes) follows Scott McGillivray and Bryan Baeumler as they head to the lake to enlist four new contractor-designer duos to battle it out and create one-of-a-kind vacation homes in just eight weeks, with a chance to win a $100,000 prize and the coveted title of Renovation Resort Champions. The series is produced by MEM in association with Corus Studios.
Later this year, Season 2 of House of Ali (eight episodes x 60 minutes) will debut on Home Network, with luxury designer Ali Budd and her team taking on more epic builds and big budget renovations across North America. Produced by Nikki Ray Media Agency in association with Corus Studios, House of Ali follows Budd as she delivers bespoke and upscale spaces tailored to homeowners’ needs, wants and whims, while under the pressure of tight timelines, stretched supply chains and demanding clients.
Rock Solid Builds will also return to Home Network this year with Season 4 (eight episodes x 60 minutes) following Randy Spracklin and his team as they bring heart, community and tough renovations in Newfoundland’s notoriously harsh weather and rugged terrain. The series is produced by Cineflix in association with Corus Studios.
The newly announced commission for The History Channel and A+E Global Media, Countdown to Zero Hour, is produced by Cream Productions. This series promises to unravel the sequence of events that transform ordinary days into catastrophes, both natural and man-made.
“Each episode plunges viewers into the heart of situation: volcanic eruptions, nuclear meltdowns, shipwrecks, floods, infernos and earthquakes that shattered cities and stunned people everywhere. With dramatic archival footage, expert and survivor accounts, cutting-edge AI recreations and immersive sound design, the series reconstructs disasters as if you were there from the first moments to the terrible event and its aftermath,” reads a synopsis of Countdown to Zero Hour.
Also coming to The History Channel is a new co-production, Toronto Airport Uncovered (10 episodes x 60 minutes), which will bring viewers behind the scenes at Toronto Pearson International Airport, revealing how they keep passengers and planes moving during the brutal Canadian winter. Toronto Airport Uncovered is produced by Arrow Media and Cantina Media, a Serial Maven Studios company, for The History Channel and National Geographic.
As for Corus Studios’ international sales, key catalogue titles sold over the past year include Crime Beat Season 6, Big Burger Battle, Love Club: Moms, Renovation Resort Season 2, Repossessed, and Scott’s Vacation House Rules Season 6. New titles available to the international market include Building Baeumler, Crime Beat Season 7, Halloween Bakeshop, Holiday Bakeshop, Renovation Resort Season 3, and Rentovation.
Corus’s original content team driving its slate of lifestyle and factual series is led by Rachel Nelson, vice president of original programming and head of Corus Studios; Lynne Carter, director of original programming; and Debbie Brown and Dora Fong, production executives for Flavour Network, Home Network and The History Channel.
Photos of (l-r) Home Network’s Beer Budget Reno, Flavour Network’s Halloween Bakeshop, and The History Channel’s Toronto Airport Uncovered courtesy of Corus Entertainment
