Russell Peters to Host The 2008 JUNO Awards Programming Highlights / CTV Posted by Tripster on Feb 05, 2008 - 09:44 AM Internationally renowned comedian Russell Peters will host The 2008 JUNO Awards broadcast, CTV and the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) confirmed today. The announcement was made by Susanne Boyce, President, Creative, Content and Channels, CTV Inc., during the JUNO Award Nominees Announcement in Toronto. The 2008 JUNO Awards will air Sunday, April 6 on CTV from the Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta. Peters returns to the network that broadcast his 2003 CTV Comedy Now! special which propelled him into an international phenomenon when it was posted anonymously on the internet and made its way around the globe. The Brampton, Ontario native now sells out theatres and arenas around the world including England, Australia, Singapore and Dubai - and last week became one of only a handful of comedians to ever headline and sell-out New York City's Madison Square Garden. In June, 2007, Peters became the first comedian to sell-out Toronto's Air Canada Centre, performing to over 30,000 fans over two nights. Later this month, Peters is scheduled to perform before a sold-out audience at the Sydney Opera House. "I'm excited to be hosting The Juno Awards - a show which I never would have watched... until now," said Peters. Peters has made his reputation by speaking to immigrant communities - Indian, Arab, Caribbean, Chinese, Filipino, Korean, Vietnamese, and other South and Southeast Asian audiences around the world. He has performed in China, South Africa, Australia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Jamaica, St. Maarten, Trinidad, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. In 2007, he was the first North American comic to tour India. During his recent tour of Dubai, tickets sold at a rate of one ticket every two seconds, eventually crashing the computer systems and causing near riots at ticket outlets. "The 2008 JUNO Awards is a national television homecoming for this multi-talented comedian who has taken the world by storm," said Susanne Boyce, President, Creative, Content and Channels, CTV Inc. "He's a huge 'get' and we know he will bring a whole new element to the broadcast." "The JUNO Awards is thrilled to have Russell Peters join the growing list of talented Canadians who have hosted the show over the years," said Melanie Berry, President of CARAS and an Executive Producer of the broadcast. This article is from CHANNEL CANADA   http://www.channelcanada.com/ The URL for this story is:   http://www.channelcanada.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2104