Top Chef Canada Brings Aboard Celebrated Television Personality Thea Andrews
as Series Host

TORONTO, June 22 /CNW/ - Food Network Canada and Insight Production Company Ltd. announce that television host and passionate foodie Thea Andrews (Entertainment Tonight; ESPN) will host the premiere season of Top Chef Canada, the anticipated Canadian version of the award-winning U.S. series. Top Chef Canada - which sees Canada's top culinary talent face-off for the chance to win $100,000 and the 'Canada's Top Chef' title - premieres spring 2011 on Food Network.

"We are thrilled that Thea is coming home to host Top Chef Canada," said John Brunton, Executive Producer, Insight Production Company Ltd. "With her grace, intelligence, beauty and a love of food, Thea's passion for the culinary world will provide the viewer with a new understanding of what it takes to be Top Chef."

"Thea Andrews is an exceptional television host and entertainment journalist and we warmly welcome her on board to host Top Chef Canada," said Karen Gelbart, SVP Content, Lifestyle Channels, Canwest Broadcasting. "Thea and series head judge Mark McEwan make up a standout team bringing the perfect balance of entertainment and culinary excellence to the table."

Canadian Thea Andrews is an experienced TV personality and entertainment journalist, having worked as a correspondent and weekend host for Entertainment Tonight in Los Angeles, as co-host for several ESPN series and, most recently, co-hosting the 16th Annual Screen Actor Guild Awards Red Carpet Show for TNT. A bon vivant at heart, Thea has studied and taken cooking classes both in New York and Los Angeles. Thea and her husband have organized vacations around visits to vineyards and restaurants they have heard about. She recently took her love of the culinary world one step further by investing in a brand new 315-seat New York restaurant called Millesime opening in the historic Carlton Hotel in September. The two floor restaurant features 2-star Michelin chef, Laurent Manrique, and a 2 million dollar show kitchen.

"I am excited and honoured to host Top Chef Canada," said Thea Andrews, host, Top Chef Canada. "This is a dream job where I can merge my love of food with my love of television. I'm looking forward to an amazing experience."

For more information on Top Chef Canada visit www.foodnetwork.ca/topchef.

Food Network is a Canwest Broadcasting channel.

About Canwest Broadcasting

Canwest Broadcasting operates Global Television and 19 of the country's most popular specialty channels, including HGTV, Mystery TV, National Geographic Channel, Showcase, History Television, Food Network and TVtropolis. Canwest Broadcasting is a division of Canwest Media Inc.

About Canwest Originals

Canwest is the proud home of the most diverse slate of Canadian Original programs across the Dramatic, Lifestyle and Entertainment genres. As a steadfast supporter of the Canadian production community, Canwest is dedicated to bringing the best of the country to audiences nationwide - including shows such as: Rookie Blue, Family Restaurant, Holmes Inspection, Ice Pilots: NWT, 16:9, Re-Vamped and Canada's most trusted entertainment news show Entertainment Tonight Canada.

About Canwest Media Inc.

Canwest Media Inc. is a subsidiary of Canwest Global Communications Corp. (www.canwest.com), Canada's largest media company. In addition to owning the Global Television Network, operating 18 industry-leading specialty channels and having ownership in 5 specialty channels, Canwest is Canada's largest publisher of English language paid daily newspapers and owns and operates more than 80 online properties.

About Insight Productions:

Insight Production Company Ltd, headed by John Brunton & Barbara Bowlby has become an industry leader in the creative development, financing and production of highly rated television programs and cutting edge multiplatform content for the global market in every genre. Since 1979, it has been recognized for its reputation for quality as the recipient of numerous International awards, including multiple Gemini's. The company has created thousands of hours of groundbreaking television that continues to be broadcast over major networks worldwide. Broadcast Magazine International claims that "When it comes to adapting formats for Canadian audiences there is one producer who appears to have the Midas touch." Recent hits include Insight's original new format Battle of the Blades, Canadian Idol, Canada's homegrown version of the hugely successful international format; the JUNO Awards, which plays a key role in the Canadian music industry; Project Runway Canada, hosted by International Supermodel Iman; and Deal or No Deal Canada, the hit primetime game show, which delivered The Global Television Network's highest ratings of all time for a Canadian program.

For more information visit www.insighttv.com.

/NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo accompanying this release is available at http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited members of the media/

For further information: For media inquiries, please contact: Jaclyn Atwood, Publicity Manager, Lifestyle Channels, Canwest Broadcasting, 416.966.7293, [email protected]; Susan Stafford, Publicist, UNIT:PR Inc., 416.506.1238, [email protected]