CTV announced today it has upped the ante on its second season order for its hit Canadian drama series, SAVING HOPE, to even more episodes. The broadcaster has ordered an additional five hours from ICF Films/Entertainment One (eOne), bringing its second season commitment to 18 episodes in total. The most-watched drama series on Canadian television this summer, SAVING HOPE reigns as the most-watched Canadian drama of the 2011-12 broadcast year, with an impressive Season 1 average of 1.7 million viewers each week.

“Coming off SAVING HOPE’s incredible first season run, we recognized the opportunity to give fans more from the breakout series they’ve quickly come to love,” said Phil King, President, CTV Programming and Sports.” CTV is proud to make this increased investment in more Canadian programming and support the series through a commitment of additional episodes.”

** Media Note ** Download photos from SAVING HOPE at BellMediaPR.ca

Bell Media has commissioned some of Canada’s most-watched and most-acclaimed original programming, while working with the best Canadian independent producers in the country. CTV series include the trailblazing, multi award-winning hit series FLASHPOINT and ratings success stories SAVING HOPE and THE LISTENER. One of three new scripted series ordered in 2012, CTV’s newest drama, MOTIVE, is currently in production, while the heart-warming, television holiday feature THE HORSES OF MCBRIDE is set to premiere in December. As well, Bell Media has also ordered pilots for two, half-hour comedy series, SATISFACTION and SPUN OUT, with both set to begin production shortly. In total, Bell Media has ordered 23 new original Canadian series in 2012, and put 31 scripted projects into development.

Bell Media’s Canadian specialty series include two-time Emmy®-nominated hit DEGRASSI, the critically acclaimed drama series THE L.A. COMPLEX, new game show comedy MATCH GAME, new documentary series ENGRAVED ON A NATION, pop culture series CELEBRITY STYLE STORY, and mythological/action series PRIMEVAL: NEW WORLD. Specialty series currently in production are ORPHAN BLACK and PANIC BUTTON, joining orders for JUST FOR LAUGHS: ALL ACCESS and BITTEN, all for 2013.

In SAVING HOPE’s climatic Season 1 finale, Alex (Erica Durance, SMALLVILLE) was left at the altar, as an out-of-coma fiancé Charlie (Michael Shanks, STARGATE ATLANTIS) comes to grips with his new reality. In full recovery mode, Charlie presses on and undertakes physiotherapy to learn how to walk again. But after an encounter with a deceased victim in spirit form, Charlie questions his relationship with Alex. Meanwhile, Dr. Joel Goran (Daniel Gillies, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES) tells Dr. Dana Kinney (Wendy Crewson, Away From Her) he was offered her job as Chief of Surgery. Will Dana fight for her position or choose to leave Hope Zion Hospital for good?

SAVING HOPE also stars Huse Madhavji (CALL ME FITZ), Julia Taylor-Ross (ROOKIE BLUE), Kristopher Turner (THE LISTENER), and Benjamin Ayres (DAN FOR MAYOR).

Encore episodes of SAVING HOPE are currently airing on Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV Two and Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on Bravo. Viewers can also catch up on full episodes across CTV’s digital platforms on CTV.ca, the CTV App, the CTV Mobile channel, and through video on demand partners.

SAVING HOPE is produced by Ilana C Frank Films (ICF Films) with eOne, in association with CTV.