Canada’s CraveTV Enters into Original Series

OTTAWA: Bell Media's SVOD service CraveTV has ordered its first original Canadian series, the half-hour comedy Letterkenny.

The six-part series has been in development at Bell Media since November 2013. It is based on the Internet sensation Letterkenny Problems, a series of shorts that have garnered more than 8 million views. Production is slated to kick off this summer in Northern Ontario. The show is created and executive produced by 19-2’s Jared Keeso, who also stars.

The series is produced by New Metric Media, in partnership with DHX Media and in association with Four Peaks Media Group, in collaboration with Bell Media. It was commissioned in partnership with The Comedy Network.

“Letterkenny is raw, authentic and unlike anything we've seen before,” said Mike Cosentino, the senior VP of programming for CTV Networks and CraveTV. “It's a perfect first commission for the service and will no doubt be a standout in CraveTV’s popular Comedy Collection.”
 
“Letterkenny has enormous potential as a flagship series for The Comedy Network,” added Tracey Pearce, the senior VP for specialty and pay at Bell Media. “We are thrilled to be working with Jared on another project, and delighted to join forces with New Metric Media and DHX Media on this one-of-a-kind series.”
 
“We are thrilled to be working with Bell Media, our partners at DHX and the creative Letterkenny dream team,” added Mark Montefiore of New Metric Media. “As both Patrick [O’Sullivan, exec producer for New Metric Media] and I descend from a long line of Irish potato farmers and Italian patata farmers, respectively, it’s only fitting this is New Metric Media’s first series out of the gate.”