Joy to the World as CTV Original Movie THE HORSES OF MCBRIDE Guides CTV and CTV Two's Holiday Programming Lineup

- Based on a true story, THE HORSES OF MCBRIDE stars EMMY^®-nominated actor Aidan Quinn -
- CTV and CTV Two's festive lineup includes three new Hallmark movie premieres starring Andrew McCarthy, Michelle Nolden, Casper Van Dien, Rachel Wilson, Natasha Henstridge, and Gabe Hogan -
- Timeless classics IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, and THE SOUND OF MUSIC and contemporary favourites A MICHAEL BUBLÉ CHRISTMAS, RITA MACNEIL'S CHRISTMAS SPECIAL and SHREK THE HALLS charm to the holiday lineup -

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TORONTO, Nov. 14, 2012 /CNW/ - 'Tis the season of delightful television treats, as CTV and CTV Two unwrap their full holiday lineups including five new holiday movies. In addition to CTV's original new movie THE HORSES OF MCBRIDE, three new Hallmark family-friendly holiday movies headline both networks' very merry lineups including COME DANCE WITH ME starring Andrew McCarthy (LIPSTICK JUNGLE), and Michelle Nolden, (SAVING HOPE), BABY'S FIRST CHRISTMAS starring Casper Van Dien (MONK), and Rachel Wilson (TOTAL DRAMA ISLAND), and A CHRISTMAS SONG starring Canadians Natasha Henstridge (THE SECRET CIRCLE), Gabe Hogan (HEARTLAND), and a special appearance by ETALK's Ben Mulroney. Both networks also welcome dozens of variety specials, a program stunt, holiday-themed episodes of favourite CTV and CTV Two programming, and blockbuster movies. Kicking off the holiday magic is CTV's broadcast of THE SANTA CLAUS PARADE as CTV Toronto's Ken Shaw and CP24's Melissa Grelo host the beloved family tradition on Sunday, Nov. 18 at 4:30 p.m. on CTV (except 5:30 - 7 p.m. AT on CTV Two Atlantic).

See below for day-by-day listings of holiday specials on CTV and CTV Two.

New Holiday Movies Special to CTV and CTV Two

As announced earlier today, the two-hour CTV original movie THE HORSES OF MCBRIDE (Sunday, Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. ET/PT on CTV) is a heart-warming tale, inspired by the true story of how the residents of McBride, B.C. sacrificed their Christmas to pull together and rescue two starving horses trapped deep in the Canadian Rockies. Starring EMMY^®-nominated actor Aidan Quinn (Unknown) and Canadians Kari Matchett (24) and up-and-comer Mackenzie Porter (R.L. Stine's THE HAUNTING HOUR, WILD ROSES), the made-for-TV movie was shot last spring in Alberta, and was also written and directed by Gemini Award-winning director Anne Wheeler (Better Than Chocolate).

This holiday season on CTV and CTV Two welcomes three new light-hearted, romantic holiday Hallmark movies. COME DANCE WITH ME (Saturday, Dec. 8 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CTV) follows Jack Kesman (Andrew McCarthy, LIPSTICK JUNGLE), a financial planner, who decides to take dance lessons to impress his girlfriend (Stephanie Mills, GOOD GOD, TOTAL DRAMA ISLAND), who also happens to be his boss's daughter. However, after a few lessons with his kind-hearted dance instructor Christine (Michelle Nolden, SAVING HOPE), the two develop a strong connection, causing Jack to have a change of heart. The romantic holiday movie also features special appearances from CTV's SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA alumni including, Amanda Cleghorn, and Adam Lopapa.

Featuring a special appearance by Toronto's CHUM FM's Darren B. Lamb, BABY'S FIRST CHRISTMAS (Friday, Dec. 14 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV) follows former colleagues Kyle (Casper Van Dien, MONK) and Jenna (Rachel Wilson, TOTAL DRAMA ISLAND) who reunite in New York on Christmas Eve to discover that their married siblings Tricia (Natalie Lisinska, INSECURITY) and Jim (Noah Cappe, THE DATING GUY) are facing severe financial problems. When Tricia and Jim are rushed to the hospital in labour with their second child, Kyle and Jenna must take care of their niece Karen (Ella Ballentine, The Intergalactic Space Adventures of Cleo and Anouk). Karen lets her aunt and uncle in on her parents' plan to win $25,000 in a contest for the first baby born on Christmas.

The third Hallmark movie A CHRISTMAS SONG (Wednesday, Dec. 12 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV Two), includes a special appearance by ETALK's Ben Mulroney. The romantic movie follows two music teachers, Diana (Natasha Henstridge, THE SECRET CIRCLE) and Ken (Gabe Hogan, HEARTLAND), and two students from each of their classes (Amanda Thompson, TOTALLY AMP'D; Brittany Adams, WINGIN' IT; Jack Ettlinger, CANADA'S GOT TALENT; and Kent Nolan, CORNER GAS) who compete in a Christmas song competition where the winner gets to keep their job along with a $10,000 prize to put towards the music program. After months of rehearsing and budding heads, Diana and Ken coincidentally get set up on a blind date, and slowly start to understand that they have more in common than just the love for music.

In the movie HOLIDAY SPIN, (Friday, Dec. 21 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV), Ralph Macchio (DANCING WITH THE STARS) stars as a former dance champion sidelined years ago by an injury. When his estranged son (Garrett Clayton, Love, Gloria) comes to live with him, he enlists his help in preparing for the Holiday Spin, a ballroom dance contest which takes place every Christmas Eve. Through teamwork, love, holiday cheer, and some pretty fancy dance moves by both father and son, they are prepared to do what it takes to win the grand prize.

**Media Note** - Download photos from the 2012 CTV and CTV Two holiday programming lineup at BellMediaPR.ca. Please note that all programming is subject to change. Visit BellMediaPR.ca to confirm the holiday programming lineup. 

Returning Holiday Favourites

Classic holiday movies joining the holly jolly lineup on CTV and CTV Two include; IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (Saturday, Dec. 1 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CTV), A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Sunday, Dec. 23 at 12 a.m. ET/PT on CTV Two), and THE SOUND OF MUSIC (Sunday, Dec. 23 at 7 p.m. ET/PT on CTV). Additional holiday family favourites return including live animation favourites PREP & LANDING (Sunday, Dec., 9 at 7 p.m. ET/PT on CTV), and PREP & LANDING: NAUGHTY VS. NICE (Sunday, Dec., 9 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT on CTV), the animated classics SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN' TO TOWN (Saturday, Dec., 15 at 7 p.m. ET/PT on CTV), and SHREK THE HALLS (Tuesday, Nov. 27 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT on CTV Two), and stop motion LITTLE DRUMMER BOY (Tuesday, Nov., 27 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CTV Two). Contemporary specials also return including; holiday variety special A MICHAEL BUBLÉ CHRISTMAS (Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CTV), and the fan favourite RITA MACNEIL'S CHRISTMAS SPECIAL (Sunday, Dec. 16 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CTV Two).

CTV and CTV Two 2012 HOLIDAY PROGRAMMING LINEUP - chronological BY DatES 

****For complete synopses of CTV and ctv two's 2012 holiday programming lineup click HERE****

All programming is subject to change (all times ET; visit CTV.ca to confirm local broadcast times).

Sunday, Nov. 18
4:30 p.m. - THE SANTA CLAUS PARADE *NEW* (CTV)

Friday, Nov. 23
8 p.m. - HAPPINESS IS A WARM BLANKET, CHARLIE BROWN (CTV)

Tuesday, Nov. 27
8 p.m. - LITTLE DRUMMER BOY (CTV Two)
8:30 - SHREK THE HALLS (CTV Two)

Saturday, Dec. 1
7 p.m. - THE SANTA CLAUS PARADE *ENCORE* (CTV Two)
8 p.m. - IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (CTV)

Sunday, Dec. 2
8:30 p.m. - THE WIZARD OF OZ (CTV Two)

Monday, Dec. 3
8 p.m. - CHRISTMAS MAGIC (CTV Two)
10 p.m. - CASTLE *NEW holiday-themed episode* (CTV)

Tuesday, Dec. 4
10 p.m. - THE MENTALIST *ENCORE holiday-themed episode* (CTV Two)

Wednesday, Dec. 5
8:30 p.m. - THE NEIGHBORS *NEW holiday-themed episode* (CTV Two)
10 p.m. - A MICHAEL BUBLE CHRISTMAS (CTV)

Saturday, Dec. 8
8 p.m. - COME DANCE WITH ME *NEW* (CTV)
7 p.m. - MISTLETOE OVER MANHATTAN (CTV Two)

Sunday, Dec. 9
7 p.m. - PREP & LANDING (CTV)
7 p.m. - CORNER GAS *ENCORE Holiday-themed episode* (CTV Two)
7:30 p.m. - PREP & LANDING: NAUGHTY VS. NICE (CTV)
7:30 p.m. - CORNER GAS *ENCORE holiday-themed episode* (CTV Two)
9 p.m. - SURVIVING CHRISTMAS *NEW* (CTV Two)

Monday, Dec. 10
8 p.m. - BORROWED HEARTS (CTV Two)
9 p.m. - A RUSSELL PETERS CHRISTMAS (CTV)

Tuesday, Dec. 11
9:30 p.m. - THE BIG BANG THEORY *ENCORE holiday-themed episode* (CTV)

Wednesday, Dec. 12
7 p.m. - ARROW *NEW holiday-themed episode* (CTV)
9 p.m. - A CHRISTMAS SONG *NEW* (CTV Two)

Thursday, Dec. 13
9 p.m. - THE VAMPIRE DIARIES *NEW holiday-themed episode* (CTV Two)

Friday, Dec. 14
8 p.m. - CSI: NY *ENCORE holiday-themed episode* (CTV)
9 p.m. - BABY'S FIRST CHRISTMAS *NEW* (CTV)

Saturday, Dec. 15
7 p.m. - SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN' TO TOWN (CTV)
7 p.m. - ONE MAGIC CHRISTMAS (CTV Two)
9 p.m. - THE CASE FOR CHRISTMAS (CTV Two)

Sunday, Dec. 16
7 p.m. - THE HORSES OF MCBRIDE *NEW* (CTV)
9 p.m. - JACK FROST (CTV Two)

Monday, Dec. 17
8 p.m. - COME DANCE WITH ME *ENCORE* (CTV Two)
9:30 p.m. - THE BIG BANG THEORY *ENCORE holiday-themed episode* (CTV)

Tuesday, Dec. 18
8 p.m. - PREP & LANDING *ENCORE* (CTV)
8 p.m. - SNOWBOUND (CTV Two)
8:30 p.m. - PREP & LANDING: NAUGHTY VS. NICE *ENCORE* (CTV)

Wednesday, Dec. 19
9 p.m. - STOLEN MIRACLE (CTV Two)

Thursday, Dec. 20
8 p.m. - BABY'S FIRST CHRISTMAS *ENCORE* (CTV Two)

Friday, Dec. 21
9 p.m. - HOLIDAY SPIN *NEW* (CTV)
8 p.m. - THE HORSES OF MCBRIDE *ENCORE* (CTV Two)

Saturday, Dec. 22
7 p.m. - THE MAN WHO SAVED CHRISTMAS (CTV Two)
8 p.m. - A CHRISTMAS SONG *ENCORE* (CTV)
9 p.m. - CHRISTMAS MAGIC *ENCORE* (CTV Two)

Sunday, Dec. 23
7 p.m. - THE SOUND OF MUSIC (CTV)
9 p.m. - THE CASE FOR CHRISTMAS *ENCORE* (CTV Two)
12 a.m. - A CHRISTMAS CAROL (CTV Two)

Monday, Dec. 24
7 p.m. - PREP & LANDING *ENCORE* (CTV)
7 p.m. - ONE MAGIC CHRISTMAS *ENCORE* (CTV Two)
7:30 p.m. - PREP & LANDING: NAUGHTY VS. NICE *ENCORE* (CTV)
8 p.m. - IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE *ENCORE* (CTV)
9 p.m. - MISTLETOE OVER MANHATTAN LIFE *ENCORE* (CTV Two)
11:30 p.m. - A CHRISTMAS CAROL *ENCORE* (CTV)

Tuesday, Dec. 25
7 p.m. - HOLIDAY SPIN *ENCORE* (CTV Two)
8 p.m. - BORROWED HEARTS *ENCORE* (CTV)
9 p.m. - STOLEN MIRACLE *ENCORE* (CTV Two)

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SOURCE: CTV

Jacqui VanSickle, CTV, CTV Two, 416.384.5091 or [email protected]