Back in 2009, “Jersey Shore” made stars out of a group of 20-something Italian Americans who turned their hookups, brawls and binges in the coastal playground of Seaside Heights, N.J., into six seasons of so-called “reality TV.”
Sure, it’s 2026, but Canada is finally getting its own entry in what Paramount Plus calls “the global MTV ‘Shore’ phenomenon” — there have been 18 spinoffs so far — with the revelation on Thursday morning of its cast of “10 unfiltered singletons.”
Since it is 2026 — and Canada, to boot — the cast is necessarily more diverse ethnically and geographically, although all 10 have a requisite pulchritude in common, judging from the chiselled abs and cleavage in some of the cast photos.
The five men and five women spent what Paramount calls “a wild summer” in Kelowna, B.C.
I’m not sure how Kelowna’s bar-to-population ratio compares to Seaside Heights’ — consumption of alcohol was a big driver of the action in “Jersey Shore” — but if you take the word of Kelowna.com, the city is “a pulsating hub of nocturnal activities.”
And Paramount Plus is promising “a whirlwind season of romance, friendships and full-throttle fun.”
The “Canada Shore” cast mates “are ready to party, flirt harder and turn every night into memories (and maybe a little mayhem). But it’s not all hookups and hangovers. Beneath the chaos is a crew that laughs together, fights together and somehow becomes a family,” the release continued.
The series is under the stewardship of Insight Productions, Canada’s reigning experts in making unscripted TV, with shows like “Canada’s Got Talent,” “The Amazing Race Canada” and “Big Brother Canada” under their belts.
Whether “Canada Shore” has a longer run than “Bachelor in Paradise Canada,” another reality series that put a cast of singles in a waterside setting, remains to be seen. That series, a spinoff of the American “Bachelor” franchise, got two seasons before it was put on indefinite hiatus.
Here’s a look at the “Canada Shore” cast, who were chosen in a nationwide casting call in the spring. Is there a Snooki, JWOWW or Situation in the bunch? You’ll have to watch to find out.
The series debuts on Jan. 22, 2026.
Bauer (Prince Albert, SK)
The Toronto transplant is a bodybuilder and lacrosse player who describes himself as a “golden retriever” with abs and attitude. He says the gym is his life — so “gym, tan, laundry” redux?
Christopher (Toronto)
The T.O. native, who has Jamaican roots, apparently lives for the party — specifically for “tequila, attention and unforgettable moments” — although he also says there’s “a lot of heart” behind the wild nights. Noted.
Emmett (Vancouver)
There’s another “gym bro” in the house. The Peterborough, Ont., native is a pipefitter and bodybuilder who hopes to prove “that muscles and mischief go hand in hand.”
Emmy (Amherst, N.S.)
Currently a Fredericton, N.B., esthetician, Emmy “loves her makeup flawless, nails on point and wine in hand.” And she’s also “pasta-obsessed” and had her first kiss in a hockey rink hallway.
Ethan (Newmarket, Ont.)
Ethan calls himself “the Machine” — not quite “the Situation,” but we’ll take it. He also says he’s “flirty with everyone,” which seems like a good way to stir up drama, and “can’t live without blonds.”
Gizelle (Montego Bay, Jamaica)
Now living in Mississauga, Gizelle calls herself “crazy, sexy and cool,” although her friends tease her about her “man choices.” She’s also into anime, bikinis and “unapologetically outspoken TikToks.”
Isaiah (Calgary, AB)
He’s a self-described Caribbean-Dutch-African thrill seeker who “lives and breathes skateboarding.” His turnoffs include girls who like country music, also “no Nickelback, thank you very much!”
Keyaira (Halifax, N.S.)
She’s a dog groomer with a hankering for “the luxe life she knows she’s meant for.” Besides dogs, she also likes working out, travelling, binging reality TV, and “fancy dinners and cocktails.”
Lila (Toronto)
Lila, known for “her oversized hoops, iconic one-liners and a laugh you can hear three rooms away,” brings some Italian flavour to “Canada Shore.” Oh, and she “doesn’t just go to the party; she is the party.”
Ryleigh (Bridgewater, N.S.)
Last but not least, this “marketing girly” has “a soft heart, wild streak and dangerous love for tequila” — so she and Christopher should get along. She’s also known for “her quick wit, booty shaking, pong skills and zero tolerance for BS.”
