The competition is getting heated as the eight BATTLE OF THE BLADES pairs prepare to skate to the theme of passion in the upcoming live performance show on Sunday, October 2 at 8 p.m. (8:30 p.m. NT), followed by the first elimination episode of the season on Monday, October 3 at 8 p.m. (8:30 p.m. NT). Ex-NHL All-Star, Olympic Gold Medalist and former BATTLE OF THE BLADES competitor, Theo Fleury returns as guest judge alongside Head Judge Sandra Bezic and Resident Judge Jeremy Roenick for the dramatic episodes.
Fleury will draw from his experience as a competitor last season when he was partnered with Olympic champion figure skater Jamie Salé. He will share his candid feedback as the 16 stars of hockey and figure skating compete for the $100,000 first place prize donation for their chosen charity on the first elimination week of this series. Featuring eight all-new live performances from the MasterCard Centre, viewers can tune in on Sunday, October 2, 2011 at 8 p.m. (8:30 p.m. NT) on CBC Television to see the one-hour performance show, followed by the dramatic, half-hour “skate-off” results show on Monday, October 3 at 8 p.m. (8:30 p.m. NT).
“I am excited to back on the set of BATTLE OF THE BLADES and I am looking forward to seeing returning cast mates from last season’s show as well as meeting the new crop of contestants,” said Theo Fleury. “I truly had an amazing experience during my time on Battle of the Blades with my partner Jamie who made this show so special for me. To all of the fans, it will be great to see you all. It will be nice to be on the other side and judging instead of worrying about my toe picks.”
An undisputed hockey superstar, Fleury was one of the most fierce NHL players, who was known for his brash, spirited passion on the ice. Fleury’s 14-year hockey career highlights include winning the Stanley Cup in 1989, a 50-goal season, more than 1,000 points, seven All-Star games and an Olympic Gold Medal in Salt Lake City. He revealed details of his troubled childhood, living hard at the top of the NHL, the crash that followed, and finally his comeback and redemption in his best-selling memoir “Playing With Fire.” Fleury gives hope and inspiration to others through his keynote speaker presentations and his work with The Theo Fleury Society for Abused Men.
About BATTLE OF THE BLADES: For more information about the competitors, please visit the official online portal of BATTLE OF THE BLADES, www.cbc.ca/battle,BATTLE OF THE BLADES is the brainchild of Kevin Albrecht with development by Sandra Bezic. Executive Producers are John Brunton, Barbara Bowlby and Kevin Albrecht. Senior Producer is Sandra Bezic and Supervising Producer is Lindsay Cox. It is produced by Insight Productions in association with CBC Television.
About CBC/Radio-Canada: CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. The Corporation is a leader in reaching Canadians on new platforms and delivers a comprehensive range of radio, television, Internet, and satellite-based services. Deeply rooted in the regions, CBC/Radio-Canada is the only domestic broadcaster to offer diverse regional and cultural perspectives in English, French and eight Aboriginal languages, plus seven languages for international audiences. In 2011, CBC/Radio-Canada is celebrating 75 years of serving Canadians and being at the centre of the democratic, social and cultural life of Canada.
Media Supporting photography is available at mediacentre.cbc.ca. For images and audio files from performance shows, visit this ftp site: http://files.insighttv.com USER: botb3 PASSWORD: botbpublicity
For additional information including interview opportunities, please contact: Holly Beetham: [email protected], 416-596-8118 ext 325 Karen Gruson: [email protected], 416-923-0076
