CBC‘s money woes may have iced Battle of the Blades, but the show’s producers are hopeful the figure skating series can continue – even if it’s on another network.
Executive producer John Brunton says the popular show, owned and created by his company Insight Productions, could find a new home on another channel if the CBC can’t commit to future seasons.
“It could at some point turn up elsewhere if the CBC doesn’t want to move forward with the program,” Brunton said Thursday after the CBC announced a swath of programming cuts.
“But they’ve suggested that they would like to move forward with the program.
“What I do know is some of the private broadcasters are fans of the show and do watch it.”
The cash-strapped CBC announced that the popular reality series – in which former NHL stars attempt campy ice dance routines with celebrity figure skaters – is going on “hiatus.”
The network’s head of unscripted programming said CBC simply can’t afford the slickly produced series right now, but that could change.
“We have put Battle of the Blades officially on a hiatus and we hope that we can, if financial circumstances improve, we can work with Insight Productions on bringing Battle of the Blades back,” said CBC exec, Julie Bristow.
Brunton and producer Sandra Bezic said it was too soon to predict the show’s future, noting they had yet to sit down with CBC executives to discuss the likelihood of Battle‘s return.
CBC also dropped CBC News Network show Connect with Mark Kelley; the comedies Michael: Tuesdays & Thursdays and Insecurity; the dramas Being Erica and Camelot; and the reality series Redemption Inc., Cover Me Canada and The Debaters.
Bristow blamed recent government cuts that took roughly $20 million out of the programming budget.
“They weren’t pleasant decisions to make,” Bristow said. “The fact is we just don’t have the finances to put these shows back on the air next season.”
The CBC is wrestling with a hefty shortfall after the federal government slashed $115 million in subsidies over the next three years.
CBC president Hubert Lacroix has said additional financial pressures actually push the broadcaster’s shortfall to $200 million, plus there’s another $25 million in severance costs for expected layoffs.
Brunton said pre-production had already begun on the next season of Battle and four former players were already lined up. An arena was on hold and a TV crew was on standby, he added.
“There’s 158 people that work on the program and they’re all looking for work,” Brunton said.
Bezic added they were “fully prepared to move forward” when they learned Wednesday that CBC had dropped the series.
Brunton’s company already has strong ties with each of the big competing networks. Insight produces Citytv‘s Canada’s Got Talent, Global‘s Canada Sings and CTV‘s recently televised Junos bash.
But any discussion of the future of Battle is pure speculation, said Brunton, noting that the fall and winter schedules may already be locked at other networks.
“I wouldn’t turn around and do anything negative to my relationship with the CBC unless they were comfortable with all of that. They’ve been great partners and not just on this project but other projects,” he added.
“On the other hand, we’re all wildly committed and passionate about Battle of the Blades. It’s an original Canadian show and the right place for Battle of the Blades was the CBC, it seemed. But we’ll see what the future plans are.”
CBC has invested millions of dollars into the brand, which in turn has become one of its biggest hits in recent years.
But it’s an expensive show to mount, said Bristow, and times are tight.
“This is in no way an indication that these shows did not work because they certainly did,” Bristow said.
“It’s very challenging this year for us. We’re very proud of these shows that we’re not able to renew at this moment, we’re certainly proud of Battle of the Blades and hope to get back into the business of doing that show and others when we can afford it.”
The cuts amount to 175 fewer original hours on the network, said scripted programming boss Trevor Walton.
“We’re going to unfortunately have to have some more repeats in prime time and that’ll be the case as well in daytime,” said Walton.
The CBC is set to announce more details May 10 when it holds its fall launch.
