MTV Bids Farewell to DEGRASSI Following Season 14, Beginning July 20

– Viewers can catch up on the first half of Season 14 on MTV.ca, and Season 12 and
13 on CraveTV –

To tweet this release: http://bmpr.ca/1G9uFB1

TORONTO, June 4, 2015 /CNW/ - MTV announced today that after 14 incredible seasons, the iconic original Canadian series DEGRASSI is ending its run on MTV following the 14th season finale. Since Bell Media's partnership with Epitome Pictures began in 2001, DEGRASSI has won 19 Gemini Awards, 10 Canadian Screen Awards, two Teen Choice Awards, a Peabody Award, and has received three Emmy^® Award nominations. Featuring 12, half-hour episodes, Season 14B of DEGRASSI premieres Monday, July 20 at 9 p.m. ET on MTV. Viewers can also catch up on the first half of Season 14 now on MTV.ca, and Season 12 and 13 on CraveTV.

"Thank you to Linda Schuyler and Stephen Stohn, and all the cast and crew at Epitome Pictures for delivering Bell Media with 14 years of creative and engaging content that truly captured the spirit of Canadian youth through truthful and provocative stories," said Phil King, President – CTV, Sports, and Entertainment Programming. "We are immensely proud of DEGRASSI, and our longstanding partnership with Linda and Stephen. We wish the entire Epitome team the best of luck, and look forward to working with them again in the future."

** MEDIA NOTE **– Download photos and additional assets for DEGRASSI at BellMedia.ca/PR.

DEGRASSI: THE NEXT GENERATION was green-lit by CTV in early 2001 and premiered on October 14, 2001 on CTV with a one-hour reunion episode featuring classic DEGRASSI and NEXT GENERATION cast members. The show quickly became the most-watched series among young viewers on the network. After nine successful seasons on CTV, DEGRASSI moved to its new home on Much for its 10th season premiere. Reaching an average of 1.4 million viewers every week, DEGRASSI quickly became the #1 series in the history of Much for P12 – 34 viewers. Thirteen years after the debut of the latest incarnation, the hit franchise showed no signs of slowing down. Season 13D of DEGRASSI, which aired on both MTV and Much, averaged 100,000 P12-34 viewers, achieving its most impressive audience in three seasons. DEGRASSI is licensed in over 145 markets – including the U.S. (TeenNick), U.K., Italy, France, Colombia, Venezuela, Korea, Australia, Brazil, and Zimbabwe.

After a fire blazed through the halls of Degrassi Community School, the new season of DEGRASSI on MTV finds the school in the hands of a new, strict administrator, which means a whole new set of rules. In the premiere episode (Monday, July 20 at 9 p.m. ET), Becky (Sarah Fisher, Lost After Dark) has been spending a lot of time songwriting with Jonah (Ehren Kassam, CHEERLEADER DEATH SQUAD) and the pair comes up with a great idea to showcase the talents of the fellow Degrassi students in a lunchtime variety show. But when Drew (Luke Bilyk, Hellions) denies the proposal, Becky hatches a plan to change his mind. Meanwhile, Winston (Andre Kim, DEGRASSI: MINIS) performs standup in front of the school and Zoë (Ana Golja, Connor Undercover) may be facing criminal charges for the part she played in the fundraising scandal.

DEGRASSI cast regulars include Amanda Arcuri as Lola Pacini; Luke Bilyk as Drew Torres; Munro Chambers as Eli Goldsworthy; Reiya Downs as Shay Powers; Sarah Fisher as Becky; Ana Golja as Zoë Rivas; Nikki Gould as Grace Cardinal; Ricardo Hoyos as Zig Novak; Demetrius Joyette as Mike Dallas; Ehren Kassam as Jonah Haak; Andre Kim as Winston Chu; Lyle Lettau as Tristan Milligan; Spencer Macpherson as Hunter Hollingsworth; Eric Osborne as Miles Hollingsworth III; Aislinn Paul as Clare; Cristine Prosperi as Imogen; AJ Saudin as Connor; Olivia Scriven as Maya Matlin; Melinda Shankar as Alli; Jessica Tyler as Jenna; Olivia Scriven as Maya; Sara Waisglass as Frankie Hollingsworth; and Richard Walters as Deon "Tiny" Bell. Classic cast member Stefan Brogren returns as Principal Archie "Snake" Simpson.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
MTV on Twitter
DEGRASSI on Twitter
MTV on FaceBook
DEGRASSI on FaceBook

About DEGRASSI:
DEGRASSI is produced by Epitome Pictures (OPEN HEART, THE L.A. COMPLEX, INSTANT STAR) in association with Bell Media. The series was co-created by Linda Schuyler, co-producer of the original Degrassi series and Yan Moore. Schuyler and Stephen Stohn serve as Executive Producers. Sarah Glinski executive produces. Distribution for the series is handled by DHX Media. For Bell Media, Gosia Kamela and Mike Richardson are Production Executives. Tom Hastings is Director, Drama, Independent Production. Corrie Coe is Senior Vice-President, Independent Production, Bell Media. Justin Stockman is Vice-President, Specialty Channels. Tracey Pearce is Senior Vice-President Specialty and Pay, Bell Media. Phil King is President, CTV, Sports, and Entertainment Programming.

About Epitome Pictures:
Toronto-based Epitome Pictures has produced award-winning youth and family drama for more than 34 years. Its flagship programs, including THE KIDS OF DEGRASSI STREET, DEGRASSI JUNIOR HIGH, DEGRASSI HIGH, and the current series, DEGRASSI: THE NEXT GENERATION, now known simply as DEGRASSI, have been honoured with multiple Gemini Awards, Teen Choice Awards, the Television Critics Association Award, The Peabody Award, two International Emmy^© Awards and three Primetime Emmy^© nominations. Other Epitome series include OPEN HEART, THE L.A. COMPLEX, INSTANT STAR, RIVERDALE, and LIBERTY STREET. Epitome Pictures is part of DHX Media Ltd. (TSX: DHX.A, DHX.B), owner of Family Channel.

About Bell Media Independent Production:
Bell Media has commissioned some of Canada's most-watched and most-acclaimed original programming, working with the best Canadian independent producers in the country. Hit CTV series include ratings success stories SAVING HOPE, MOTIVE, the record-breaking THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, and MASTERCHEF CANADA. Among the scripted series on Bell Media pay and specialty channels are the three-time Emmy^®-nominated hit DEGRASSI, the internationally acclaimed ORPHAN BLACK, the most-watched original series in Space history BITTEN, Bravo's most-watched original drama 19-2, award-winning dramedy SENSITIVE SKIN, the upcoming adventure series KILLJOYS, and upcoming cult comedy, LETTERKENNY. Bell Media specialty channels are also home to hit factual series HIGHWAY THRU HELL, COLD WATER COWBOYS, and CANADA'S WORST DRIVER, among others.

About MTV:
From fashion and politics to lifestyles and trends, MTV is all about the stories of young amazing lives from a distinctly Canadian perspective. Available across multiple platforms, including online at MTV.ca and live on Bell Mobile TV, MTV pushes boundaries with innovative original programming.  MTV is available in 6.5 million households across Canada and is a Canadian-programmed and managed business. MTV is a division of Bell Media, which is part of BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. MTV in Canada is one of 63 MTV-branded services available in 152 territories around the world.

Source: Numeris (BBM Canada)

– MTV –

SOURCE MTV

Amanda Rinaldo, 416.384.5325 or [email protected]; Jessica Charbonneau, 416.384.3016 or [email protected]