TORONTO –
Bell Media is reviving “Big Brother Canada,” the reality TV series that was cancelled by Corus Entertainment two years ago.
Taking over as host is Andrea Bain of CTV’s daytime talk show “The Social,” with filming is set to begin next spring in Montreal.
The show is headlining the broadcaster’s 2026/2027 programming lineup announcement, which also includes a remake of “The Littlest Hobo” produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, and several new raunchy comedies such as TV version of the 1979 classic “Meatballs.”
The “Big Brother” reboot is part of an overall franchise deal that will see the U.S. version of the show air on CTV and Crave in 2027. It also includes the Canadian series’ back catalogue, with 12 seasons to be available on Crave.
Justin Stockman, Bell Media’s vice-president of global content, said he thinks the format will attract audiences to linear television, while data shows reality shows “kill it” on streaming service Crave.
He said Bain will continue to be on “The Social,” and that the new shooting location in Montreal — at the “Big Brother Célébrités” house — will be less costly than the previous iteration of the show, where the set was built from scratch each season.
“Big Brother Canada” aired on Global TV for 12 Seasons hosted by Arisa Cox, and was cancelled in 2024. It was produced by Insight Productions in association with Corus Entertainment and Banijay Rights.
At the time, Corus released a statement citing many factors in the decision, including “audience trends, available support from sponsors and advertisers, and production and licensing costs.”
Stockman said he’s not worried about those factors this time around.
“With ‘The Traitors,’ with ‘Love Island,’ like a lot of these competition reality series kill it on streaming. They also do really well with live viewing on linear. And we just feel like with our properties, having both CTV and Crave, it would be able to get more bang for our buck.”
Under Bell, it will be produced by the Quebec production company Entourage, which also produces “The Traitors Canada.”
Another property Bell is promoting that was formerly with Corus is “Saturday Night Live,” which moves to the network in the fall.
Stockman said the show was up for renewal and Bell Media felt there was a missed opportunity to capture the streaming audience, airing it on Crave at the same time as CTV.
The broadcaster’s slate also included new Canadian unscripted shows including Crave’s “Bizzare ER,” which will feature real stories told by Canadian health care workers, reenacted and discussed with a panel of experts. And there is “Balls Deep,” an unscripted docuseries described as taking viewers behind Miami’s world of elite sports and perfect bodies.
The original scripted slate includes “The Littlest Hobo,” a new live-action take on an old Canadian classic from the production team behind the Emmy-winning “The Studio.” The reboot is the first scripted project in the Canadian market for Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s Point Grey Pictures, who are teaming up with Lionsgate Canada and Crave.
The show originally aired on CTV from 1979 to 1985, and followed a German shepherd as he travelled across the country, stopping to help people in need.
In the announcement, Rogen and Goldberg said “The Littlest Hobo” was a foundational show for them during their childhood.
Crave also showcased “Meatballs,” a reimagining of late Canadian director Ivan Reitman’s 1979 salacious comedy film.
There’s also “I Can’t Save You,” which is about a single mom from Winnipeg who takes on the world of standup comedy, and “Bulges” starring Mark Paul Gosselaar.
The “Saved by the Bell” alum will be working inside a Hooters-type restaurant in Niagara Falls with an all-male wait staff sporting booty shorts.
Meanwhile, Hudson Williams’ previously announced Crave show “Yaga,” which follows a private investigator who is trying to figure out the mysterious disappearance of a fishery heir, will premiere this year.
Stockman said they were still deciding the release plan but teased that the show is “sort of sexy, but also creepy” and Williams’ role will surprise audiences.
“His character in this show is very, very different than his character in ‘Heated Rivalry,’” he said.
Season 2 of “Heated Rivalry” is among the returning shows this year, as well as “Canada’s Drag Race,” “The Traitors Canada,” “Shoresy,” “The Office Movers” and “Sullivan’s Crossing.”
A representative confirmed that the Robb Wells-led series “The Trades” will not be renewed for Season 4.
Jus Reign’s “Late Bloomer” and the crime-drama “Borderline” were not on the list of renewals, though Stockman suggested the future of those series was undecided.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 4, 2026.
