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CBC Renews Lots of Stuff

The CBC has just issued a press release on renewals for the 2011-12 season.

Many shows have been renewed, apart from the shoo-ins (shoos-in?) like The Rick Mercer Report; pickups for shows that might have been “on the bubble” include the new InSecurity, the Energizer Bunny-like Little Mosque on the Prairie, and Being Erica, which may well have been saved by its popularity in the U.S.

One show I don’t see on this list is 18 To Life. In fact I think that’s the only scripted show from the current schedule that isn’t on this list of renewed shows. Too bad for it. Its brief (and, absurdly, controversial) run in the U.S. doesn’t seem to have boosted it the way American attention boosted Erica.

Update: Diane Wild points out in comments that Men With Brooms also appears to have been canceled.

Here’s the relevant excerpt from said press release:

February 11, 2011 — CBC Television today confirmed a number of returning shows for the 2011-12 season. Among the returning fan favourites are BATTLE OF THE BLADES and DRAGONS’ DEN, which both regularly drew more than 1.5 million viewers this season, the Down East detective hit REPUBLIC OF DOYLE, Season 9 of THE RICK MERCER REPORT and Season 51 of THE NATURE OF THINGS WITH DAVID SUZUKI.

“CBC Television is coming off a great season of delivering the shows audiences love, and we’re going to build on that momentum in 2011-12,” said Christine Wilson, Interim General Manager CBC Television. “CBC’s prime-time schedule will continue to be the undisputed home of great home-grown programming.”

The following favourites have been renewed and will return to the programming schedule:

22 Minutes
Battle of the Blades
Being Erica
Best Recipes Ever
Doc Zone
Dragons’ Den
the fifth estate
George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight
Heartland
InSecurity
Little Mosque on the Prairie
Marketplace
The Nature of Things
Republic of Doyle
The Rick Mercer Report
The Ron James Show
Steven & Chris

Meanwhile, new programming pickups for the 2011-12 season include Mr. D, starring Gerry D and produced by Topsail Entertainment; Michael Tuesdays and Thursdays,  featuring the writing and acting talents of Bob Martin and produced by Rhombus Media; the co-production Camelot, from Take 5 Productions; Kevin O’Leary in Dealer to Leader, developed by Wide-Eyed Entertainment in conjunction with CBC; and Cover Me Canada, produced  by 11 Entertainment.

There you ‘ave it, then.

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