HBO Canada heats up the summer with the return of Hung and Entourage

    
    -   The Pimp and The Ho are back when Hung Season 2 premieres Sunday,
        June 27 at 10 p.m. ET /MT, day and date with the U.S.
    -   The Emmy(R)-winning hit comedy series Entourage returns for its
        seventh season Sunday, June 27 at 10:30 p.m. ET /MT, day and date
        with the U.S.
    

TORONTO, June 1 /CNW/ - New seasons of HBO's hit comedy series Hung and Entourage join this summer's must-see Sunday night line-up alongside True Blood on HBO Canada, a multiplex channel of Corus Entertainment's Movie Central (Western Canada) and Astral's The Movie Network (Eastern Canada). Ray Drecker's side business is on the rise in the second season of Hung, premiering at 10 p.m. on Sunday June 27, followed by the season 7 premiere of Entourage at 10:30 p.m.

From creators Colette Burson and Dmitry Lipkin (The Riches), the second season of HBO's half-hour comedy Hung returns to the still recession-plagued suburbs of Detroit, Michigan. As a way of survival, divorced teacher/coach Ray Drecker (Thomas Jane) continues his unorthodox efforts to generate extra cash by selling his services as a romantic companion to lonely women. At the end of the first season, Ray and his unlikely pimp, Tanya Skagle (Jane Adams), watched their entrepreneurial venture grow a new head after slick "life coach" Lenore Bernard (Rebecca Creskoff) talked Ray into making her a co-pimp. While Lenore continues to push a debonair version of hooker Ray on her upscale clients, Tanya looks to prove, to both Ray and herself, that she has the "right stuff" when it comes to being a successful, and far more ethical, pimp. To complicate matters, Ray's ex-wife, Jessica Haxon (Anne Heche), already filled with doubts about her marriage is reeling from her no-show gigolo that Lenore set up at the end of last season.

Hollywood's favourite insider crew returns when the seventh season of Entourage premieres on HBO Canada. Executive produced by Mark Wahlberg and created by Doug Ellin, HBO's hit half-hour comedy series follows the day-to-day life of young Hollywood star Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier), and the three buddies he brought along from their hometown in Queens, New York. At the start of the new season, following an accident during the filming of his latest action flick, Vincent develops a new lease on life that makes him even more difficult to manage for Eric (Kevin Connolly), Vince's manager and lifelong friend. Meanwhile, his agent Ari Gold (Golden Globe(R) and three-time Emmy(R)-winner Jeremy Piven) now heads an entertainment-agency behemoth, and half-brother/actor Drama (Kevin Dillon) and Turtle (Jerry Ferrara) must decide which steps to take to map out their own futures. Returning this season as series regulars are Eric's co-worker Scott Lavin (Scott Caan) and Eric's new fiancé Sloan (Emmanuelle Chriqui).

    
    Scheduling Note:
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Please note that new episodes of True Blood, Hung and Entourage will be on hiatus Sunday, July 4. HBO Canada will air the first three episodes of True Blood Season 3 in their place.

Hung and Entourage will be simulcast on HBO Canada HD, and will be available on demand. They will also be available on The Movie Network OnLine with Bell TV following the network premieres.

HBO Canada is a multiplex channel offered by Astral's The Movie Network (Eastern Canada) and Corus Entertainment's Movie Central (Western Canada). HBO Canada brings Canadians the current slate of signature dramatic programs for which HBO is known, together with new and never-before-seen programming including comedy series, live specials, sporting events, behind-the-scenes content and titles from HBO's extensive library - all in an uncut and commercial-free environment. HBO Canada is offered in high definition on HBO Canada HD and programming is accessible on demand where available by service provider. For more information, please visit www.hbocanada.com.

The Movie Network is a member of the Astral family. Astral is one of Canada's largest media companies. It operates over 100 of the country's most popular pay and specialty television, radio, out-of-home advertising and digital media properties. Astral plays a central role in community life across the country by offering diverse, rich and vibrant programming that meets the tastes and needs of consumers and advertisers. To learn more about Astral, visit www.astral.com.

Movie Central is owned by Corus Entertainment Inc. (CJR.B/CJR), a Canadian-based media and entertainment company. Corus is a market leader in specialty television and radio with additional assets in pay television, advertising services, television broadcasting, children's book publishing and children's animation. Experience Corus on the web at www.corusent.com.

For access to The Movie Network's media room or Movie Central's press site, please visit http://tv.astral.com or http://mediacentre.corusent.com.

For further information: Media contacts: The Movie Network (Eastern Canada), Nicolle Balen, [phone], [email protected]; Movie Central (Western Canada), Owen McCorquodale, [phone], [email protected]