It's Not a Sitcom, It's Not a Drama, It's Not a Reality Show - It's a Project

New Series Life Story Project Encourages Canadians to Share their Stories on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network (Canada)

Series premieres with back-to-back episodes Wednesday, January 2 at 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. ET

TORONTO, Nov. 8, 2012 /CNW/ - Corus Entertainment's OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network (Canada) announces, Life Story Project, a new series that explores the human condition through the real-life experiences of ordinary Canadians plucked off the street. The series shows that everyone has a story to tell - sometimes, all it takes is the right question. Produced by Dockside Productions in association with OWN (Canada), the series premieres with back-to-back episodes Wednesday, January 2 at 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. ET, and airs regularly on Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. ET.

"Life Story Project is a surprising television experience as you watch complete strangers share their biggest secrets and deepest feelings with our hosts, Andrea and Dale," said Vibika Bianchi, Vice President, Original Programming, Lifestyle, Reality, Factual Entertainment, Corus Entertainment. "Viewers will find themselves unexpectedly charmed and inspired by these intensely personal stories and crave more."

Hosts Andrea Syrtash and Dale Curd show how we are all connected in our shared experiences in this emotionally-charged 10x30 documentary series. Filmed in public areas and on display, Dale and Andrea invite passersby to sit on their purple couch in the middle of a park or a busy street corner, and encourage them to share candid and deeply personal life stories on topics from love and regret; loyalty and betrayal; and examine the significance behind key events in their lives.

In the first episode, which premieres Wednesday, January 2 at 9 p.m. ET, Dale and Andrea talk about falling in love and broken hearts and how intimate affairs of the heart have shaped identities, including a couple whose mixed cultural marriage of Irish and South Asian has lasted 43 years; a woman who lost her husband four years ago but followed through on his dying request for her; a man who recently tried to make a amends for losing the trust of his girlfriend; and friends who share a platonic relationship but only after he professed his love for her.

Andrea Syrtash is a relationship expert, author and on-air personality. She has contributed to over a dozen relationship-advice books and is the editor of How to Survive the Real World and How to Survive Your In-Laws. She is the author of He's Just Not Your Type (And That's a Good Thing) and Cheat On Your Husband (With Your Husband). Syrtash is an advice columnist and contributor to numerous lifestyle sites including OPRAH.com, MSN and Yahoo!, and she frequently appears on shows as a guest expert. A graduate of The Coaches Training Institute, Syrtash has worked with clients as a relationship coach since 2004. She regularly speaks about effective relationships at events and conferences and is passionate about helping people live authentically - in love and in life.

Dale Curd is a trained psychotherapist specializing in Individual, Family and Group Psychotherapy as well as an experienced communicator reaching audiences across North America. Dale specializes in decoding men's issues and de-mystifying male behaviour. He's been dubbed the "go-to guy on men" for CBC's Steven and Chris, and hosted a weekly national call-in radio show called GuyTalk, on Toronto's Newstalk 1010. Curd authored a national advice column for the daily newspaper 24 Hours, and he is on the Advisory Board of North American health magazine, Maximum Fitness. Curd operates a private practice in Toronto and is Director of The Mens Program; a network of emotional support groups for men. He co-founded and launched Changebullying, an experiential workshop for students to reduce the frequency and severity of bullying in schools.

About OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network (Canada)
On March 1, 2011, OWN launched in over six million Canadian homes on what was previously the VIVA channel. OWN is available in Canada through a license agreement with OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. 

About Corus Entertainment Inc.
Corus Entertainment Inc. is a Canadian-based media and entertainment company. Corus is a market leader in specialty television and radio with additional assets in pay television, television broadcasting, children's book publishing, children's animation and animation software. The Company's multimedia entertainment brands include YTV, Treehouse, Nickelodeon (Canada), ABC Spark, W Network, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network (Canada), CosmoTV, Sundance Channel (Canada), Movie Central, HBO Canada, Nelvana, Kids Can Press, Toon Boom and radio stations including CKNW AM 980, 99.3 The FOX, Country 105, 630 CHED, Q107 and 102.1 the Edge. Corus creates engaging branded entertainment experiences for its audiences across multiple platforms. A publicly traded company, Corus is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (CJR.B). Experience Corus on the web at www.corusent.com.

To find OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network (Canada) in your area, please click here.

Follow Corus PR on Twitter @CorusPR

Follow OWN Canada on Twitter @OWNCanada and Facebook facebook.com/OWNCanada

SOURCE: Corus Entertainment Inc.

Danielle Sefton                                                                        
Corus Entertainment                                                                        
416.479.6094                                                                                     
[email protected] 

Andréa Grau 
Touchwood PR                                  
416-347-6749
[email protected]