A pre-dictatorship Castro on camera, The King's Speech dissected, and David Tennant as a father in love after losing his partner, all in TVO's January 2012 highlights

A pre-dictatorship Castro on camera, The King's Speech dissected, and David Tennant as a father in love after losing his partner, all in TVO's January 2012 highlights

TORONTO, Dec. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ - TVO kicks off the New Year with a lineup
of eye-opening new documentaries and dramas. Highlights include:

-- World broadcast premiere of the TVO-commissioned documentary
Finding Fidel: The Journey of Erik Durschmied, about a renowned
war journalist who revisits his career-launching 1958 interview
with Fidel Castro, filmed shortly before Castro seized power
-- The King's Speech: Revealed- The grandson of King George VI's
speech therapist traces the real-life relationship made famous
in the Oscar-winning film The King's Speech
-- The Battle for North America - The military strategies and
techniques that the British army used to win the dramatic 1759
battle that would define modern North America
-- Birth of BritainandThe Code -Two new documentary series looking
at the natural forces that shape our world, from Britain's
explosive geological past to the numbers and patterns that
structure the entire universe
-- Single Father - New drama starring David Tennant (Dr. Who) as a
father struggling to raise his four children and manage his
love life after the sudden death of his partner

Finding Fidel: The Journey of Erik Durschmied - World Broadcast Premiere

Wednesday January 11, 2012 at 9 pm ET

90 minutes

Directed by Bay Weyman

Produced by Close Up Films in association with TVO

Finding Fidel: The Journey of Erik Durschmied tells the remarkable story of Austrian-Canadian journalist Erik
Durschmied, who in 1958 journeyed to Cuba's Sierra Maestra mountains to
film one of the first interviews with a little-known rebel leader named
Fidel Castro. Shortly after that meeting, Castro's band of fighters
rolled into Havana, and Durschmied's career as a top war cameraman was
launched.

50 years later Durschmied returns to Castro's rebel camp, still intact
high in the Cuban mountains. He recounts a fascinating personal
narrative and the story of how he produced the interview, with Castro
memorizing his English answers in dozens of takes. Director Bay Weyman
interweaves the rarely-seen 1958 footage of life at the rebel camp with
Durschmied's reflections on the lost promise of Castro's revolución and on the hinge of fate that shaped his own career.

The Battle for North America - North American Premiere

MondayJanuary 9, 2012 at 10 pm ET

60 minutes

Produced by Ballista Media for BBC

Over 250 years ago, Britain and France fought a battle for Québec that
would change the world. Now largely forgotten, the British victory at
the Battle of the Plains of Abraham just outside Québec City was a
pivotal moment in history that would lead to the creation of modern
North America as we know it today.

Historian Dan Snow sets sail up the St. Lawrence River to recreate the
British campaign. He heads out into the wilds surrounding Québec, takes
to the air, and trains as an 18th-century infantryman to get a true
idea of what the campaign and battle would have been like for the
soldiers involved.

The King's Speech: Revealed - North American Premiere

Monday January 2, 2012 at 10 pm ET

50 minutes

Produced by Bedlam Productions

The true story behind the Oscar-winning film The King's Speech. Join Mark Logue, the grandson of King George VI's pioneering speech
therapist Lionel Logue, as he discovers an extraordinary archive of
personal diaries and letters between Lionel and the King. The King's Speech: Revealed follows Mark on a cross-continent journey to learn about the life of
his fascinating grandfather as a member of the royal family's inner
circle. Mark meets with a former patient of Lionel's to learn about his
techniques and joins screenwriter David Seidler and actor Geoffrey Rush
to find out how the historical facts inspired the feature film.

At Home with the Georgians - North American Premiere

Mondays January 16 to 30, 2012 at 10 pm ET

3 / 50 minutes

Produced by Matchlight for BBC

What's behind our modern-day obsession with our homes, from buying and
renovating them, to making them beautiful and defining ourselves
through the way they look? It might seem like a very recent phenomenon,
dating back to the 1980s or even the 1950s, but historian Amanda
Vickery has traced this love affair back to 18th century Georgian
Britain. Vickery takes us into the palaces of the wealthy, the parlours
of the middle class, and the attics of the poor to reveal how our homes
have come to be at the centre of our lives.

Birth of Britain - North American Premiere

Tuesdays January 24 to February 7, 2012 at 9 pm ET

3 / 50 minutes

Produced by Pioneer Productions in association with Channel 4

Explore the geological history of the British Isles with Time Team's Tony Robinson and discover that Edinburgh was once a giant volcano,
the banks of the Thames were once home to monkeys and rhinos, and Wales
was once the site of a Roman gold mine. In this three-part series,
Robinson ventures into Britain's extraordinary and fiery past to reveal
how the islands were forged from molten rock, volcanic explosions, ice
and seismic upheaval.

The Code - North American Premiere

Tuesdays January 3 to 17, 2012 at 9 pm ET

3 / 60 minutes

Co-produced by BBC and The Open University

In this intriguing three-part series, mathematics professor Marcus du
Sautoy (The Story of Maths) goes in search of a mysterious code: the numbers, shapes and patterns
that govern our world. From the delicate architecture of our veins to
the startling beauty of the night sky, numbers are everywhere. Du
Sautoy reveals patterns of numbers and shapes and explores the strange
connections between them that explain why the universe is the way it
is.

Single Father - North American Premiere

Sundays January 8 to 29, 2012 at 10 pm ET

4 / 50 minutes

A Red production for BBC

David Tennant (Dr. Who) stars in this touching and humorous four-part drama about a man
struggling to raise his four children after the death of his partner.
When Rita dies suddenly, Dave faces the daunting prospect of bringing
up their children on his own, as well as coping with his own and his
children's grief.

Things get even more complicated when Dave begins to fall in love with
Rita's best friend. Is Dave betraying Rita by falling in love again so
quickly, or will he be walking away from happiness if he ignores his
feelings? With his children at the centre of his world, Dave worries
what will happen when they find out. Single Father asks how soon is too soon to fall in love again?

Allan Gregg in Conversation  - Peter C. Newman - Friday January 20, 2012 at 10 pm ET

The veteran journalist and author discusses his new book When the Gods Changed: The Death of Liberal Canada, about the downfall of the federal Liberal party.

Born to be Different  Series 5 - Sundays January 22 to February 5, 2012 at 8 pm ET

Three new installments in the on-going documentary project that follows
the lives of six children growing up with disabilities. As the children
turn nine and ten, they and their families face new challenges and some
children begin to make their own decisions about their future.

New Tricks - Sundays January 8 to March 11, 2012 at 9 pm ET

In the eighth series of New Tricks, the UCOS team of retired detectives investigates cold cases involving
everything from biker gangs and tiger maulings to amnesiac cyclists and
cold fusion scientists, and some team members even find time for a
little romance.

New on TVOKids

Finding Stuff Out

Premieres Friday January 20, 2012

Fridays at 5:30 pm ET and Saturdays at 9:30 am ET

16 / 30 minutes

Produced by Apartment 11 Productions in association with TVO

Finding Stuff Out is a lively science-oriented series which, instead of imposing adult
notions on kids about what they should know, gives them what they want:
answers to the questions that matter to them the most! Using
demonstrations, eye-catching videos, playful animations, and science
experts, the kids hosting the show will chase down the answers,
informing and entertaining their audience along the way. Hosted by
Harrison Houde (Diary of a Wimpy Kid).

Poppy Cat

Sundays at 9:30 am ET starting January 22, 2012

52 / 10 minutes

Produced by Coolabi Productions and Rollo Films

Poppy Cat is a little cat with a big imagination who has been introduced
to the world through the books written and illustrated by Lara Jones. Poppy Cat's colourful, animated world is easily identifiable to the
preschool-aged child, as Poppy Cat and her friends laugh, play, explore
and pretend together. The series reinforces language acquisition skills
and encourages verbal creativity through the use of rhyming narration.

About TVO

TVO is Ontario's public educational media organization and a trusted
source of interactive educational content that informs, inspires and
stimulates curiosity and thought. TVO's vision is to empower people to
be engaged citizens of Ontario through educational media. TVO is funded
primarily by the Province of Ontario. As a registered charity, TVO
depends on the support of its sponsors and individual donors. For more
information, visit tvo.org.

Where to Find TVO

On air: Websites: Online: Connect:
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(may vary in tvokids.com YouTube Twitter
some areas) tvoparents.com Rogers-On-Demand-Online
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channel 580
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Shaw Direct
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SOURCE TVO

Video with caption: "Video: Finding Fidel: The Journey of Erik Durschmied - A renowned war journalist travels to Cuba to revisit his career-launching 1958 interview with Fidel Castro, filmed shortly before Castro seizes power.". Video available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqolAdjK3DI

Video with caption: "Video: The Battle for North America - Historian Dan Snow explores the military strategies and techniques that the British army used to win the dramatic 1759 battle that would define modern North America.". Video available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw_49p5l-Ak

Video with caption: "Video: The King's Speech Revealed - The grandson of King George VI's speech therapist traces the real-life relationship made famous in the Oscar-winning film The King's Speech. ". Video available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0woZCzB5xA

Video with caption: "Video: At Home with the Georgians - Historian Amanda Vickery tours 18th-century residences to discover the roots of our modern-day obsession with our homes. ". Video available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVybZm-6lg0

Video with caption: "Video: Birth of Britain - Time Team's Tony Robinson ventures into Britain's geological past to reveal how the islands were forged from molten rock, volcanic explosions, ice and seismic upheaval. ". Video available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0PCSQZTrsQ

Video with caption: "Video: The Code - Mathematics professor Marcus du Sautoy goes in search of a mysterious code: the numbers, shapes and patterns that govern our world. ". Video available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBNFTcxO0pA

Video with caption: "Video: Single Father - David Tennant plays a father struggling to raise his four children and manage his love life after the sudden death of his partner. ". Video available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRzkdJ_Z_t4

Video with caption: "Video: Finding Stuff Out - Science fun for kids, by kids.". Video available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt0Tscm2OK0

Image with caption: "Finding Fidel - Erik Durschmied speaking to Fidel Castro in his rebel camp in 1958. (CNW Group/TVO)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111206_C9850_PHOTO_EN_7362.jpg

Image with caption: "The Battle for North America - Presenter Dan Snow (foreground) with Lace Wars, Re-enactors, Stratford Armouries. © Ballista Media 2010 (CNW Group/TVO)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111206_C9850_PHOTO_EN_7361.jpg

Image with caption: "The King's Speech Revealed - Photo of Lionel Logue and wife among letters and a copy of George VI's speech (lower left). (CNW Group/TVO)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111206_C9850_PHOTO_EN_7363.jpg

Image with caption: "At Home with the Georgians - Host Amanda Vickery (left) with actors in Georgian period attire. (CNW Group/TVO)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111206_C9850_PHOTO_EN_7360.jpg

Image with caption: "Birth of Britain - Host Tony Robinson at Edinburgh Castle. (CNW Group/TVO)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111206_C9850_PHOTO_EN_7364.jpg

Image with caption: "The Code - Host Marcus du Sautoy at the Sunkenkirk stone circle. (CNW Group/TVO)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111206_C9850_PHOTO_EN_7367.jpg

Image with caption: "Single Father - Star David Tennant (centre) and cast. © Red Productions 2010. (CNW Group/TVO)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111206_C9850_PHOTO_EN_7366.jpg

Image with caption: "New Tricks - The cast of New Tricks (l-r) Dennis Waterman, Amanda Redman, Alun Armstrong, and James Bolam. © Wall to Wall Television 2011. (CNW Group/TVO)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111206_C9850_PHOTO_EN_7365.jpg

Image with caption: "Finding Stuff Out - Host Harrison Houde. Copyright Apartment 11 Productions. (CNW Group/TVO)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111206_C9850_PHOTO_EN_7871.jpg

Image with caption: "Poppy Cat: Poppy Cat and friends on a high seas adventure. (CNW Group/TVO)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111206_C9850_PHOTO_EN_7872.jpg

TVO

CONTACT: Media Contact: Laura Wickett
TVO Communications and Marketing
416.484.2600 x 5550
lwickett@tvo.org Paul Ginis TVO Communications and Marketing
416.484.2600 x 2445
pginis@tvo.orgTVO Customer Relations 
416.484.2665
asktvo@tvo.org

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