CTV Adds MASTERCHEF CELEBRITY SHOWDOWN, New Two-Hour Culinary Charity Special Airing January 18

– Special to join CraveTV's Reality TV Collection Jan. 19 –
– International supermodel Gigi Hadid, actor/host Terry Crews, and actress Kaitlin Doubleday among celebrities set to take over the MASTERCHEF kitchen in first-ever celebrity challenge –

– Previous MASTERCHEF winners compete against current MASTERCHEF JUNIOR contestants for charity –

– Award-winning MASTERCHEF judge Gordon Ramsay and renowned pastry chef Christina Tosi helm the judges table –

To tweet this release: http://bmpr.ca/1Yn0bpO

TORONTO, Dec. 18, 2015 /CNW/ - CTV's Winter 2016 schedule just got another tasty addition: CTV announced today it has added the new culinary competition special MASTERCHEF CELEBRITY SHOWDOWN. From One Potato Two Potato and Endemol Shine North America, the two-hour charity cook-off airs Monday, Jan. 18. at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CTV and CTV GO. In this ultimate snack-down, award-winning judge Gordon Ramsay and renowned pastry chef Christina Tosi invite celebrities into the MASTERCHEF kitchen to battle it out against each other in this first-ever MASTERCHEF CELEBRITY SHOWDOWN. The special also also pits previous MASTERCHEF winners against some of MASTERCHEF JUNIOR's Season 4 competitors, as they battle in a variety of showdowns to win a cash prize for the charities of their choice. CraveTV also confirmed today it will add the special to its Reality TV collection on Jan. 19.

"MASTERCHEF CELEBRITY SHOWDOWN is a battle for culinary bragging rights in support of some great causes, and the perfect way to setup an all-new season of MASTERCHEF CANADA, returning to CTV in the New Year," said Mike Cosentino, Senior Vice-President, Programming, CTV Networks and CraveTV.

MASTERCHEF CELEBRITY SHOWDOWN features four battles in a test of their culinary skills:

Gigi Hadid vs. Devon Windsor:
International supermodels Gigi Hadid and Devon Windsor walk from the runway to the kitchen while competing for charities close to their hearts, Global Lyme Alliance and St. Louis Children's Hospital, respectively.

Terry Crews and Rebecca Crews vs. Boris Kodjoe and Nicole Ari Parker:
Two cooks are better than one in the couples' battle. BROOKLYN NINE-NINE star and WORLD'S FUNNIEST host Terry Crews and his wife, Rebecca Crews, represent Polaris Project, while THE LAST MAN ON EARTH's Boris Kodjoe and wife, Nicole Ari Parker's charity of choice is Sophie's Voice Foundation.

Kaitlin Doubleday vs. Ta'Rhonda Jones:
Find out who reigns in the kitchen when EMPIRE actresses Kaitlin Doubleday and Ta'Rhonda Jones compete for their charities, Best Friends Animal Society and the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, respectively.                         

MASTERCHEF Winners vs. MASTERCHEF JUNIOR Season Four Contestants:
MASTERCHEF winners Luca Manfe, Christine Ha, and Claudia Sandoval battle it out for Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, while Season Four MASTERCHEF JUNIOR contestants Addison, Amaya, and Zac compete for Food on Foot.

An all-new episode of MASTERCHEF JUNIOR airs tonight at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CTV Two, before moving to CTV with new episodes beginning Jan. 8 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

MASTERCHEF is produced by Endemol Shine North America and One Potato Two Potato, and is based on a format created by Franc Roddam and Endemol Shine. Elisabeth Murdoch, Eden Gaha, Robin Ashbrook, Gordon Ramsay, Adeline Ramage Rooney, Patricia Llewellyn and Ben Adler serve as executive producers. 

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Twitter:
@CTV_PR
@CTV_Television
Gordon Ramsay - @gordonramsay
Christina Tosi - @christinatosi
Gigi Hadid - @GiGiHadid
Devon Windsor - @devwindsor
Terry Crews - @terrycrews
Rebecca Crews - @rebeccakcrews
Boris Kodjoe - @BorisKodjoe
Nicole Ari Parker - @nicolearip
Kaitlin Doubleday - @KaitlinDday
Ta'Rhonda Jones - @TaRhondajay

Facebook:
Facebook.com/CTV

Instagram:
Instagram.com/BellMediaPR 
Instagram.com/CTV_Television 

About One Potato Two Potato
Renowned for award-winning original programming, One Potato Two Potato produces high-quality television shows on both sides of the Atlantic, including the smash-hit HOTEL HELL, the blockbuster MASTERCHEF and irresistible spin-off MASTERCHEF JUNIOR, as well as BEST NEW RESTAURANT and competition series FOOD COURT WARS. In the U.K., OPTP produces GORDON RAMSAY BEHIND BARS and GORDON RAMSAY'S GREAT ESCAPE, for Channel 4; food biography and nostalgia series MY KITCHEN, for UKTV's Good Food Channel; and MATILDA AND THE RAMSAY BUNCH, starring Tilly Ramsay for U.K. children's channel CBBC. OPTP has also produced two instructional cookery series featuring Gordon Ramsay, ULTIMATE HOME COOKING and ULTIMATE COOKERY COURSE, both of which have sold all over the globe.

About Endemol Shine North America
Endemol Shine North America delivers world-class content and compelling storytelling to multiple platforms in the U.S. and across the globe. Endemol Shine North America is part of Endemol Shine Group, the newly launched global content creator, producer and distributor with a diverse portfolio of companies in the U.S. that are behind some of the most prominent hit television formats and series in the world. Its Endemol Shine Latino division oversees all Spanish-language sales and development in both the U.S. and Mexico. And subsidiary production companies include Authentic Entertainment, Original Media, True Entertainment and 51 Minds Entertainment. In addition, Endemol Shine North America has a strategic partnership with Ryan Seacrest Productions.

Endemol Shine Group's companies in North America are behind hit series, including BELOW DECK, BIG BROTHER, THE BIGGEST LOSER, BULLSEYE, HELL ON WHEELS, INK MASTER, IT TAKES A CHURCH, KINGDOM, KNIFE FIGHT, MASTERCHEF, MASTERCHEF JUNIOR, RESTAURANT STARTUP, SWAMP PEOPLE, THE ISLAND, THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA, STEVE HARVEY, T.I. & TINY: THE FAMILY HUSTLE, STEVE AUSTIN'S BROKEN SKULL CHALLENGE and many more.

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 14 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.

– CTV –

SOURCE CTV

Tonia Addison, CTV Networks, 416.384.2194 or [email protected]; Christy Sullivan, CTV Networks, 416.384.3624 or [email protected]