Slice™ Scores a Second Season of Love and Lust with Canadian Original Series First Dates

Single and Looking? First Dates Matchmakers are Searching for Singles to Set Up on an all New Season

Apply Online at slice.ca/casting-call

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TORONTO, March 8, 2016 /CNW/ - Shaw Media has greenlit a second season of Slice™'s scintillating series First Dates, with production and casting underway now. The First Dates matchmakers have begun an extensive search for a diverse mix of singles looking to be paired up on a blind date in hopes of finding that special someone. Produced by Force Four Entertainment and Remedy Canada Productions, in association with Shaw Media, First Dates is a docuseries that sets single men and women up on a first date with cameras capturing all their real and romantic moments. The second season of First Dates will air on Slice in 2016 and the entire first season can be watched online at slice.ca along with exclusive digital extras.

"First Dates captured the hearts of Canadians with its inaugural season on Slice, and we're excited to be producing a second season with our production partners," said Christine Shipton, SVP and Chief Creative Officer, Shaw Media. "Season 1 paired a diverse mix of daters and brought viewers riveting on-air stories complemented by engaging online content including dating tips and celebrity dating stories. We're excited to see more sparks fly, stories be told, and romance come to life in the second season."

First Dates is looking for Canadians of all genders, orientations, ages, backgrounds, and professions who are single and actively looking, or at least open to the prospect of finding someone special. The series will be filmed in Vancouver this Spring, and all Canadians are welcome to apply. The casting site also allows people to nominate friends or family for the show through the same online application process. Online applications for First Dates can be filled out by visiting slice.ca/casting-call. Applicants must be 19 years of age or older, available for filming in the Vancouver area, and must provide a headshot of themselves.

"First Dates is a delightfully fun show to produce so we're really pleased that it has also proved irresistible with viewers," said Toby Dormer, Executive Producer, Remedy Canada Productions. "In a world of online dating and apps, our matchmakers offer a more human, hands-on approach. This is a great opportunity for all Canadian singles to apply now, tell us what you're looking for, and let our team find your perfect match."

Hailed as "wonderful" and "utterly beguiling" by The Globe and Mail, First Dates gives viewers a gripping look at the hope, charm, attractions, awkwardness, heartaches, connections, and the stakes of a first date. Each episode showcases a restaurant of singles who have been hand matched for a blind date with someone they've never met. The restaurant is fitted with 35 fixed-rig cameras capturing every moment, from potential sparks to awkward small talk, flirtatious glances, and sometimes forced smiles. In Season 1, the First Dates restaurant hosted over 300 first dates, which led to 50 smooches and 100 second dates.

Slice.ca boasts exclusive First Dates Season 1 extras including a series of "Top 10 Dos and Don'ts for a First Date" and videos of beloved TV celebrities answering burning questions about love and dating, like "What's Your Pre-Date Pump-Up Jam Music?" and "Describe Your First Date?." These and other fun First Dates videos are available at slice.ca/first-dates/video.

Based on the hit format from Warner Bros. International Television Production, First Dates is a co-production between Force Four Entertainment and Remedy Canada Productions, in association with Shaw Media and Slice.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
Website: slice.ca/first-dates/
Twitter: @slice_tv, #FirstDatesCAN
Facebook: www.facebook.com/slice 
Instagram: slice_tv

Slice is a Shaw Media Network

About Shaw Communications
Shaw is a leading pure-play connectivity provider focused on delivering superior consumer and business broadband communications over its wireline, WiFi and wireless infrastructure. Shaw serves consumers with broadband Internet, WiFi, video and digital phone. Shaw Business Network Services provides business customers with Internet, data, WiFi, telephony, video and fleet tracking services. WIND provides wireless services in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta. Shaw Business Infrastructure Services provides enterprises colocation, cloud and managed services through ViaWest. Shaw Media provides Canadians with engaging programming content through one of Canada's largest conventional television networks and 19 specialty networks. Shaw is traded on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges and is included in the S&P/TSX 60 Index (Symbol: TSX - SJR.B, NYSE - SJR). For more information, please visit www.shaw.ca.

About Force Four Entertainment
With offices in Vancouver and Toronto, Force Four Entertainment is one of Canada's leading television production companies. Force Four's vibrant production slate includes award-winning hit shows that air in Canada and sell around the world - in both the unscripted and scripted genres. Some of the company's most recent unscripted series include Border Security: Canada's Front Line (65 x half hour; Shaw), Border Security: America's Front Line; (28 x half hour), Keeping Canada Alive (6 x 1 hour; CBC), First Dates (14 x half hour; Shaw) and Tricked (20 x half hour; Corus/YTV).

In 2014, Force Four Entertainment was acquired by Entertainment One, enabling the company to grow its global business and expand its international connections. Force Four continues to be managed by its former owners, Chief Creative Officer John Ritchie, Chief Operating Officer Gillian Lowrey and President Rob Bromley.

Force Four can be found on the web at www.forcefour.com

About Remedy Canada
Remedy Canada is a Vancouver-based production company founded in 2012. Remedy Canada is headed up by Toby Dormer who was also founding partner of London, UK based, Remedy Productions Ltd. Remedy Canada delivers the same exciting and entertaining programming with which Remedy UK has become synonymous. Other Remedy Canada productions include Cabin Truckers for Blue Ant Media, now in its second season, and a new, soon to be announced, lifestyle series.

Remedy Productions Ltd, has been the UK's largest producer of entertainment programming for the past 4 years. It's key titles include game show 15 to One, BBC's Teen Awards and a thousand hours of programming annually for MTV as part of a long running output deal.

Remedy Canada is part of the Argonon Media group which, alongside Remedy, includes production companies such as Windfall Films, Leopard Films, Britespark Films, Leopard USA and Leopard Drama. Key titles for the group include House Hunters International, Eve, Railroad Alaska, 15to1 and Strip the City. www.remedyproductions.tv

SOURCE SLICE

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