Ready, Set, RACE PLAY! New THE AMAZING RACE CANADA In-Show Game Brings all the Action to Viewers

New THE AMAZING RACE CANADA VR360 Experiences Kick-Off in Season 5 Start Cities St. John's N.L. and Vancouver

– RACE PLAY features in-show weekly polls and trivia, prompting viewers to engage in real-time on their mobile device and desktop during all original broadcasts across the country –

– All-new season brings fans to the starting line and inside some of the toughest challenges of the season with immersive VR360 experiences – 

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TORONTO, June 28, 2017 /CNW/ - Hot on the heels of last week's @CTV_PR #MeetTheRacers team announcements on Instagram and Twitter, CTV unveiled two new innovative viewer experiences ahead of the epic fifth season of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, airing Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT, beginning July 4 on CTV and CTV GO.

First, CTV revealed today a new game, RACE PLAY, that integrates race action from the broadcast into in-show polls and trivia, prompting viewers in real-time to answer on their second screens – mobile devices and desktop – during all original broadcasts across the country. Powered by CTV.ca, viewers can weigh in on pivotal moments throughout the episode, such as what Detour to take, and predict the order teams hit the mat. The results will appear on a leaderboard on their second screen so viewers can see how they stack up with the rest of the country. Fans who create an account will have their answers count towards a season-long leaderboard. RACE PLAY is powered by iPowow, worldwide leaders in participation television.

CTV also announced today new THE AMAZING RACE CANADA VR360 experiences that bring fans right to the starting line and inside some of the most grueling challenges throughout the race. The VR360 experience begins by featuring the season premiere episode, which CTV confirmed today will kick-off in St. John's N.L., and see Racers travel more than 5,000 kilometers across the country to Vancouver.

Using VR360 immersive video capture, audiences can share and explore THE AMAZING RACE CANADA environments, incredible places, and some of the most exciting moments of the season, including the starting line at Signal Hill National Historic Site in St. John's N.L. Narrated by host Jon Montgomery, VR360 was captured in five Canadian legs of the race in celebration of the 150^th anniversary of Canadian confederation. The VR360 experience is available on CTV.ca and THE AMAZING RACE CANADA Facebook Page, as well as the SamsungVR app, the YouTube VR, and Facebook 360, and is accessible via mobile, desktop, and Oculus (VR headset). THE AMAZING RACE CANADA VR360 experience is produced by Tyger Shark Inc. with the financial participation of the Bell Fund.   

"With RACE PLAY and THE AMAZING RACE CANADA VR360 experience, we're engaging RACE fans like never before, while also extending the brand across multiple platforms," said Mike Cosentino, Senior Vice-President, Content and Programming.

"It's been a lot of fun integrating RACE PLAY and the VR360 experience into the show," said Executive Producer John Brunton. "Whether it's inviting viewers right to the starting line or testing their knowledge of the Racers and the places we visit, we are thrilled to deliver a new and layered viewing experience to audiences for the new season of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA."

**Media Note** Download artwork for THE AMAZING RACE CANADA at bellmediaPR.ca

To get to know the roster of Racers competing on the new season of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, fans can visit http://www.ctv.ca/TheAmazingRaceCanada/Teams and explore the team pages presented by Chevrolet. The site features videos, bios, fun facts, and exclusive content. For full episodes, sneak peeks, and extras, head to the site after the Season 5 premiere on July 4.

Season 4 of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA averaged 1.9 million viewers per week, making it the #1 series of the summer for four consecutive years and a Top 20 program in Canada in 2016.

Hosted by Olympic Gold Medalist Jon Montgomery (@jonmonty), Season 5 will see Racers travel across Canada and beyond, tackling non-stop challenges in the country's favourite summertime adventure. Canadians can also look forward to special challenges and storylines to celebrate the 150^th anniversary of Canadian confederation throughout the season.

This season's grand prize is a Next Generation 2018 Chevrolet Equinox True North Edition for each of the winners, a once-in-a-lifetime trip around the world for two, $250,000 in cash, and the coveted title of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA champions. Racers will also be competing for special leg prizes, awarded to the first team to cross the mat in each of the episodes leading up to the finale.

Encore presentations of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA air Saturdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT and Sundays at 5 p.m. ET/PT on CTV and CTV GO. Visit CTV.ca to check local listings. Previous seasons are also available for streaming now on CraveTV.

Season 5 of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA welcomes back returning partner Chevrolet, which has been with the series for all five seasons, and BMO, which enters its third consecutive season as a partner. New partners this year are Sinorama, Canadian Tire's Woods brand, and Campbell's.

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#AmazingRaceCanada  
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About Insight Productions
Insight Productions, known for its award-winning ratings juggernauts, is Canada's most established content producer. Headed by John Brunton & Barbara Bowlby, Insight is an industry leader in the development, financing, and production of hit programming, both scripted and unscripted. The Amazing Race Canada, The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration; The JUNO Awards 2016 and How To Change The World collectively took home 14 Canadian Screen Awards in 2017. Smash hit and Top 20 series Big Brother Canada delivered huge audiences, and was one of the highest engaged Canadian TV programs on social. Past productions include Intervention Canada, Project Runway Canada, Battle of the Blades, Ready Or Not, Falcon Beach, The Truth About Alex, and Canadian Idol. Insight Productions was founded in 1979 and has since created thousands of hours of groundbreaking content. In 2015, Insight received the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television's inaugural Icon Award in recognition of its 35th anniversary.

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 16 years in a row. CTV is a division of Bell Media, Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, digital, and Out-of-Home. 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.

Source: Numeris, Summer 2016: May 23 – Sep 11, 2016. TARC: June 28 – Sep 13, 2016. 2016: Jan 1-Dec, 2016. P2+. Final data.

SOURCE CTV

Jesse Wanagas, CTV Networks, 416-384-3193 or [email protected]; Matthew Almeida, CTV Networks, 416-384-2629 or [email protected]; Marin Pollock, CTV Networks, 416-384-2989 or [email protected]; Jim Quan, CTV Networks, 416-384-5311 or [email protected]