Love. Longing. New Beginnings: Season 3 of CTV's Hit Medical Drama SAVING HOPE Returns with a Special Two-Night Premiere Event, September 22 and 25

Love. Longing. New Beginnings: Season 3 of CTV's Hit Medical Drama SAVING HOPE Returns with a Special Two-Night Premiere Event, September 22 and 25

- SAVING HOPE is back in CTV's hit Thursday night lineup, bookended by returning favourite GREY'S ANATOMY and Shonda Rhimes' addictive new legal thriller HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER -

- Season 3 features returning stars Erica Durance, Michael Shanks, and Daniel Gillies, as well as new cast members Mac Fyfe (M.V.P.) and Danso Gordon (American History X), and previously announced Stacey Farber (DEGRASSI: THE NEXT GENERATION) -

- New digital companion series SAVING HOPE: PSYCHIC HEALING available at CTV.ca/SavingHope and on the CTV GO app, beginning Sept. 22 -

To tweet this release: http://bmpr.ca/Wbrgxz

TORONTO, Sept. 3, 2014 /CNW/ - The past, present, and future collide as Canada's most-watched original drama SAVING HOPE returns for its most romantic and dramatic season yet. The hit series returns for its third installment with a six-episode Fall Event Season, beginning with a special two-night, two-hour premiere, all part of Premiere Week 2014 - airing Monday, Sept. 22 (Part 1) and Thursday, Sept. 25 (Part 2) at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV and the CTV GO app. Paired with a new season of CTV's #1 returning drama, GREY'S ANATOMY (8 p.m. ET/PT), SAVING HOPE will be followed by GREY's creator Shonda Rhimes' addictive and highly anticipated new legal thriller HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER (10 p.m. ET/PT). Following the six-episode arc of SAVING HOPE this fall, CTV will launch its winter broadcast season with 12 all-new episodes set to air in early 2015. Meanwhile, fans can stay connected to the series with the new 12-episode digital companion series SAVING HOPE: PSYCHIC HEALING, announced today.

Following last season's climactic finale, which saw Dr. Alex Reid (Erica Durance) fighting for her life after being stabbed in the heart by a patient, Season 3 of SAVING HOPE features the passion, pressures, and power plays viewers have come to know and love from the Hope Zion Hospital dream team. There's no break in the action, as the season kicks-off with a bevy of pulse?pounding surgeries, adrenaline?addled breakthroughs, sultry romances, and new doctors ready to shake things up. Relationships are a focus for the series' leads, while trials and triumphs navigate them through unchartered waters. With the temperature rising in and out of the OR, SAVING HOPE's band of doctors take big risks for a chance to redefine their futures by the end of the fall finale.

** Media Note ** - Download new photography for SAVING HOPE at BellMediaPR.ca

"Paired with our #1 returning drama GREY'S ANATOMY, and buzzed-about new series HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER, SAVING HOPE is the perfect complement to CTV's winning Thursday night lineup to kick off the fall season," said Mike Cosentino, Senior Vice-President, Programming, CTV Networks. "With its passionate and growing fan base, we're excited to showcase a dramatic six-episode story arc before SAVING HOPE returns in mid-season."

New cast members this season include Halifax native Danso Gordon (American History X) as Dr. Rian Larouche, a young resident seeking approval; Mac Fyfe (M.V.P.) as Dr. James Dey, an unconventional psychiatrist joining Gavin's (Kristopher Turner) team; and the previously announced Stacey Farber (DEGRASSI: THE NEXT GENERATION), in the recurring role of Dr. Sydney Katz, OB/GYN - a take?no?prisoners medical prodigy and Orthodox Jewish Doogie Howser.

In Part 1 of the special two-night Season 3 premiere event entitled "Heaven Can Wait" (Monday, Sept. 22 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV), after being stabbed in the heart in the Season 2 finale, Dr. Alex Reid (Erica Durance) has a profound experience in the liminal space, while a desperate Charlie Harris (Michael Shanks) and his ex - Dawn Bell (Michelle Nolden) race against the clock to save her life. Meanwhile, Dr. Joel Goran (Daniel Gillies) is pulled in to the ER to treat a suicidal patient that tests his duty as a doctor, and Maggie Lin (Julia Taylor Ross) makes a bold decision that changes her relationship with Gavin Murphy (Kristopher Turner).

In Part 2 of the Season 3 premiere event entitled "Kiss Me Goodbye", airing Sept. 25 in the series' regular Thursday at 9 p.m. ET/PT timeslot, with her body still in a coma, spirit form Alex (Erica Durance) shares an emotional journey with Charlie (Michael Shanks) in the spirit world as he 'ghost-doctors' a brain-dead mother-to-be. Meanwhile, Joel (Daniel Gillies) forms a tight bond with a lively drug addict while trying to treat his necrotic leg. Hope Zion Hospital also welcomes its new OB/GYN, Dr. Sydney Katz (Stacey Farber), who throws Maggie (Julia Taylor Ross) off her game.

Following its television broadcast, each new episode of SAVING HOPE will be available on demand at CTV.ca and on the CTV GO App.

Viewers can also continue to follow the doctors of Hope Zion Hospital with the exclusive new digital companion series SAVING HOPE: PSYCHIC HEALING available on CTV.ca/SavingHope, CTV.ca/Extend, and the CTV GO app beginning Sept. 22. The 12-episode digital series shares insider revelations about the series' lead characters, especially Alex Reid (Erica Durance), through flash-forwards and flashbacks triggered by readings from the series' sometimes insightful and always entertaining psychic, The Great Randall (Peter Keleghan). Fans can also visit CTV.ca/SavingHope for extended recaps of the first two seasons, a comprehensive episode guide, exclusive interviews, and much more.

SAVING HOPE was the most-watched Canadian drama of the 2013-14 broadcast year with an impressive Season 2 average audience of 1.6 million viewers. The series stars 2013 Canadian Screen Award-nominee Erica Durance (SMALLVILLE), as well as Michael Shanks (STARGATE SG-1), Daniel Gillies (THE ORIGINALS), 2013 Canadian Screen Award-winner Wendy Crewson (REVENGE), Julia Taylor Ross (REPUBLIC OF DOYLE), Michelle Nolden (NIKITA), Benjamin Ayres (BITTEN), Huse Madhavji (CALL ME FITZ), Kristopher Turner (THE L.A. COMPLEX), and K.C. Collins (RoboCop). This season also sees the return of former guest star Tyler Hynes (19-2), who plays Alex's deceased brother Luke Reid. Directors this season include David Wellington (ROOKIE BLUE), series lead Michael Shanks as guest director, and returning guest directors Jason Priestley (CALL ME FITZ) and Gregory Smith (ROOKIE BLUE).

SAVING HOPE is produced by Ilana C Frank Films Inc. (ICF Films) with Entertainment One (eOne), in association with CTV, with the participation of the Canada Media Fund and the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit. The series is executive produced by Ilana Frank and David Wellington, John Morayniss (ROGUE, KLONDIKE) for Entertainment One, and Lesley Harrison. Executive Producers and Showrunners are Morwyn Brebner (ROOKIE BLUE) and Adam Pettle (KING). The series was created by Malcolm MacRury (CRASH AND BURN, REPUBLIC OF DOYLE) and Morwyn Brebner. For Bell Media, Carrie Paupst Shaughnessy is Production Executive, Drama, Independent Production; Trish Williams is Director, Drama, Independent Production; Corrie Coe is Senior Vice-President, Independent Production; Mike Cosentino is Senior Vice-President, Programming, CTV Networks; Phil King is President - CTV, Sports, an d Entertainment Programming. All distribution rights are handled by eOne.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

CTV:
Twitter:
@CTV_Television
@CTV_PR

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ctv

SAVING HOPE:
Twitter:
@SavingHopeTV
Erica Durance: @ED_DURANCE
Michael Shanks: @MichaelShanks
Daniel Gillies: @danieljgillies
Huse Madhavji: @HuseM
Julia Taylor Ross: @juliataylorross
Michelle Nolden: @noldenmichelle
Benjamin Ayres: @BenjaminAyres
Kristopher Turner: @kristopherturn
K.C. Collins: @KCCollinsWorld
Stacey Farber: @StaceyFarber18
Danso Gordon: @DansoGordon

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/SavingHopeTV

Tumblr:
http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/saving+hope

Pinterest:
http://pinterest.com/CTVTelevision/saving-hope/

About CTV
CTV is Canada's #1 private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV has been Canada's most-watched television network for the past 13 years in a row. CTV is a division of Bell Media, Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio and digital. Bell Media is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. More information about CTV can be found on the network's website at CTV.ca.

- CTV -

Source: Numeris (BBM Canada), BY2013-14: Sept. 23, 2013 - Aug. 10, 2014 (Weeks 5-50, final data)

SOURCE CTV

CTV

CONTACT: For more information or to arrange an on-set interview, please contact: Matthew Almeida, CTV Networks, 416.384.2629 or matthew.almeida@bellmedia.ca; Christy Sullivan, CTV Networks, 416.384.3624 or christy.sullivan@bellmedia.ca


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