Blue Ant Media unveils slate of 10 original productions for Canadian broadcasters

Blue Ant Media is celebrating its 10-year anniversary with commissions for a portfolio of Canadian specialty networks, such as Cottage Life, T+E, BBC Earth, BBC First, and Smithsonian Channel. “We’re so proud to celebrate 10 years of storytelling at Blue Ant Media. Over that time, our roster of Canadian specialty channels has truly evolved into a premium lineup of household names,” says Craig Junner, VP, Programming, Canadian Media, Blue Ant Media.

Serving as the first set of commissioned originals for BBC First and BBC Earth in the region, the slate includes a total of 10 titles, both new and returning. “Over the past decade, we have been committed to delivering premium, entertaining programming that tells diverse stories from Canada and around the world with our partners and some of the best filmmakers out there,” Junner continued.

Varying from lifestyle and survival shows to paranormal anthology series, compelling documentaries, and relevant specials, the projects were overseen by Head of Original Content, Blue Ant Media. They are scheduled to premiere this Fall and into 2022, many of which will be offered during nationwide free preview events. Cottage Life’s share of the deal includes the returning series “Life Below Zero: Canada,” set to offer Canadian audiences its second season, co-produced by Blue Ant Media, Quebecor Content, and APTN, while “Merchants of the Wild” will release its fourth season. “Ice Vikings” will see a world broadcast premiere of season 3 alongside season one of “Eli Roth Presents: A Ghost Ruined My Life.”

On T+E, “The Lost Colony of Roanoke” will premiere in spring 2022 during T+E’s nationwide free preview event. The new documentary series “Griff’s Great Canadian Adventure,” co-produced by Nikki Ray Media Agency and EQ Media Group, in association with Blue Ant Media, Channel 4, Abacus Media Rights, Quiver Entertainment, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and The History Channel (NZ). Blue Ant Media has greenlit two new Canadian documentary specials, “The Digital Divide” (working title) (Season 1; World Broadcast Premiere) and “Strange Creatures” (working title) (Season 1; World Broadcast Premiere), for its premium factual channel, BBC Earth.

On Smithsonian Channel in Canada, the Blue Ant Media and Channel 5 co-production, “World’s Most Scenic River Journeys” (Season 2; Canadian Premiere) has been renewed for a second season. Also new is “History by the Numbers” (Canadian Broadcast Premiere), an energetic, fast-paced 20-part series about the extraordinary and often overlooked numbers that help us decode world history. The series offers a fresh perspective on how the world adds up today. “History by the Numbers” is scheduled to premiere in winter 2022 on Smithsonian Channel in Canada during the channel’s nationwide free preview event.