Making spirits bright this holiday season, CTV’s suite of specialty channels are Canada’s pandemic escape hatch, as CTV Comedy Channel, CTV Drama Channel, CTV Life Channel, and CTV Sci-Fi Channel unwrap their full slate of holiday programming today. Bolstering the packed holiday schedule, CTV also announced today the first-ever nationwide freeview across its group of four specialty channels, running from Dec. 22 – Jan. 5.
Checking all the boxes for essential holiday fare, the CTV holly jolly lineup features:
CTV Drama Channel
- Lifetime’s first-ever LGBTQ+ Christmas movie, THE CHRISTMAS SETUP starring 90’s legend Fran Drescher (THE NANNY) and Canadian Ben Lewis (ARROW)
- CHRISTMAS EVER AFTER starring Tony Award-winner Ali Stroker (CITY BOYZ), Lifetime’s first film led by a person with a disability.
CTV Comedy Channel
- CORNER GAS ANIMATED revels in Christmas cheer with their holiday-themed Season 3 finale, entitled “Tinsel-itis”
CTV Sci-Fi Channel
- The timeless Whovian tradition continues as Jodie Whittaker steps back into the TARDIS for a New Year’s outing as the Time Lord, along with returning iconic character Captain Jack Harkness, in DOCTOR WHO: REVOLUTION OF THE DALEKS.
- New must-see movie premieres including shark action film THE MEG, animated superhero film TEEN TITANS GO! TO THE MOVIES, and genre-bending superhero film DEADPOOL 2 starring Canadian superstar Ryan Reynolds as the titular wisecracking mercenary.
- New episodes of STAR TREK: DISCOVERY Season 3 continues through the holidays.
CTV Life Channel
- The new holiday special JAMIE & JIMMY’S FESTIVE FEAST, from Chef Jamie Oliver and Jimmy Doherty along with celebrity guests, satisfies audiences hunger for holiday treats.
- Transform leftovers from a holiday feast into two new dishes with Bell Media Studios Original series DOUBLE YOUR DISH: HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, starring Chef Rodney Bowers and Meredith Shaw.
- CTV Specialty Channels also offers a holiday viewing spree of fan-favourite marathons like THE COMPLETE BIG BANG-A-THON on CTV Comedy, A CHRISTMAS AT HOGWARTS MARATHON, and a SUPERHEROES MARATHON on CTV Sci-Fi
The CTV Specialty freeview is available through participating television service providers across the country, including but not limited to Bell, Bell Aliant, BellMTS, Cogeco, Eastlink, Rogers, SaskTel, Telus, and participating members of the CCSA. In addition, subscribers and non-subscribers alike can sample select programming during the freeview period online through the CTV hub, via CTV.ca, the CTV app, and on demand via set-top box with participating TV providers.
For a chronological listing of premiere dates and descriptions for new programing available during the holiday season and CTV Specialty’s freeview, see below.
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CTV Sci-Fi Channel, CTV Comedy Channel, CTV Drama Channel, and CTV Life Channel Holiday 2020 Premiere Dates:
Note: All programming is subject to change. All times ET (visit CTV.ca to confirm local broadcast times). *Airing during freeview.
Monday, Nov. 30
8 p.m. – JAMIE & JIMMY’S FESTIVE FEAST – (CTV Life Channel) – SPECIAL PREMIERE
Wednesday, Dec. 2
8 p.m. – LOVE ACTUALLY (CTV Drama Channel) – MOVIE PREMIERE
Thursday, Dec. 3
8 p.m. – ‘MIDNIGHT AT THE MAGNOLIA (CTV Drama Channel) – MOVIE PREMIERE
10:30 p.m. – TACOMA FD (CTV Comedy Channel) – SEASON FINALE
Friday, Dec. 4
8 p.m. – CHRISTMAS UNWRAPPED (CTV Drama Channel) – MOVIE PREMIERE
Saturday, Dec. 5
9:15 p.m. – THE BEST MAN HOLIDAY (CTV Life Channel) – MOVIE PREMIERE
Tuesday, Dec. 8
10:30 p.m. – COLD AS BALLS (CTV Comedy Channel) – SEASON FINALE
Wednesday, Dec. 9
8 p.m. – THE CHRISTMAS BALL (CTV Drama Channel) – MOVIE PREMIERE
Thursday, Dec. 10
8 p.m. – A CHRISTMAS MISSION (CTV Drama Channel) – MOVIE PREMIERE
9 p.m. – HOLMES NEXT GENERATION (CTV Life Channel) – SEASON FINALE
Friday, Dec. 11
8 p.m. – CHRISTMAS EVER AFTER (CTV Drama Channel) – MOVIE PREMIERE
Saturday, Dec. 12
4:45 p.m. – THE POLAR EXPRESS (CTV Life Channel) – MOVIE PREMIERE
Sunday, Dec. 13
8 p.m. – PANDORA (CTV Sci-Fi Channel) – SEASON FINALE
Monday, Dec. 14
9 p.m. – CORNER GAS ANIMATED (CTV Comedy Channel) – SEASON FINALE
9:30 p.m. – JAMIE’S EASY MEALS FOR EVERY DAY (CTV Life Channel) – SEASON FINALE
10 p.m. – STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS (CTV Comedy Channel) – SEASON FINALE
10 p.m. – DOUBLE YOUR DISH: HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS – HOLIDAY FEAST FOR DAYS (CTV Life Channel) – SPECIAL PREMIERE (Encore presentation on CTV, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m.)
10:30 p.m. – DOUBLE YOUR DISH: HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS – GINGER ALL THE WAY (CTV Life Channel) – SPECIAL PREMIERE (Encore presentation on CTV, Dec. 19 at 7:30 p.m.)
Tuesday, Dec. 15
9 p.m. – BRIDEZILLAS (CTV Life Channel) – SEASON FINALE
Wednesday, Dec. 16
8 p.m. – CHRISTMAS AT MAPLE CREEK (CTV Drama Channel) – MOVIE PREMIERE
Thursday, Dec. 17
8 p.m. – UNLOCKING CHRISTMAS (CTV Drama Channel) – MOVIE PREMIERE
Friday, Dec. 18
8 p.m. – THE CHRISTMAS SET UP (CTV Drama Channel) – MOVIE PREMIERE
Thursday, Dec. 24
9 p.m. – STAR TREK: DISCOVERY (CTV Sci-Fi Channel) – NEW EPISODE*
Monday, Dec. 28
9:15 p.m. – TEEN TITANS GO! TO THE MOVIES (CTV Sci-Fi Channel) – MOVIE PREMIERE*
Thursday, Dec. 31
9 p.m. – STAR TREK: DISCOVERY (CTV Sci-Fi Channel) – NEW EPISODE*
10 p.m. – DEADPOOL 2 (CTV Sci-Fi Channel) – MOVIE PREMIERE*
Friday, Jan. 1
Broadcast time TBA – DOCTOR WHO: REVOLUTION OF THE DALEKS (CTV Sci-Fi Channel) – SPECIAL PREMIERE *
MARATHON PROGRAMMING
Thursday, Dec. 17 – Sunday, Jan. 3
THE COMPLETE BIG BANG-A-THON (CTV Comedy Channel) *
Beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT viewers can spend the holidays on Sheldon’s couch as CTV Comedy airs the complete Emmy® award-winning sitcom THE BIG BANG THEORY chronicling all 12 seasons of Bazingas!. Before this, classic Christmas-themed episodes air back-to-back on Saturday Dec, 12 from 9 –11: 30 p.m. and Tuesday, Dec. 15 – Thursday, Dec. 17 at 9 and 9:30 p.m. ET/PT.
Friday, Dec. 18
CHRISTMAS MOVIE MARATHON (CTV Drama Channel)
Beginning at 6 a.m. ET/PT, a full-on blizzard of new and returning Christmas movies, hits CTV Drama. Starting with CHRISTMAS UNWRAPPED at 6 a.m. ET and ending with an encore presentation of THE CHRISTMAS SET UP at 4 a.m. ET, there will be no shortage of mistletoe moments.
Friday Dec. 18 – Sunday, Jan. 3
THE COMPLETE BONES MARATHON (CTV Life Channel) *
Macabre merriment viewers can join forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance “Bones” Brennan (Emily Deschanel, ANIMAL KINGDOM) and cocky F.B.I. Special Agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz, ANGEL), as they investigate intriguing murders, beginning at 6 a.m. ET/PT.
Saturday, Dec. 19 – Sunday, Jan. 3
THE COMPLETE HOUSE MARATHON (CTV Drama Channel)*
Viewers in need of alternative holiday remedy can visit Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in New Jersey, for Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie, VEEP), a flawed, acerbic infectious disease specialist, who solves medical puzzles with the help of a team of young diagnosticians. The full series marathon begins at 6 a.m. ET/PT.
Saturday, Dec. 19 – Sunday, Dec. 20
CRUISEING INTO THE HOLIDAYS (CTV Sci-Fi Channel)
Running through the hits of movie star Tom Cruise, CTV Sci-Fi presents the classic Cruise action and drama beginning at 6 a.m. ET, with WAR OF THE WORLDS, OBLIVION, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 1-3, TOP GUN, MINORITY REPORT and the premiere of 1985’s LEGEND.
Monday, Dec. 21 – Tuesday, Dec. 22
RACING INTO CHRISTMAS MARATHON (CTV Sci-Fi Channel)*
Satisfying the need for speed, CTV Sci-Fi races to Christmas with the first six chapters of the Fast & Furious film series: THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS, 2 FAST 2 FURIOUS, THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS: TOKYO DRIFT, FAST & FURIOUS, FAST FIVE, FAST & FURIOUS 6 along with Jason Statham led film DEATH RACE beginning at 8:30 a.m. ET.
Wednesday, Dec. 23 – Friday, Dec. 25
A CHRISTMAS AT HOGWARTS MARATHON (CTV Sci-Fi Channel)*
Christmas is the perfect time for Potterheads (and newbies) to take a leap onto Platform 9 and ¾ and fall under the spell of all eight Harry Potter films with A CHRISTMAS AT HOGWARTS MARATHON, beginning Wednesday, Dec. 23 at 2:30 p.m. ET.
Saturday, Dec. 26 – Sunday, Dec. 27
WILL SMITH MOVIE MARATHON (CTV Sci-Fi Channel)*
Hollywood A-list and blockbuster movie star Will Smith has come a long way since West Philadelphia and boast an exciting run of blockbuster hit movies for audiences of all ages. Beginning at 6 a.m. ET, viewers can enjoy the MEN IN BLACK Trilogy, BAD BOYS 1 and 2, HANCOCK, and I AM LEGEND.
Monday, Dec. 28 – Thursday, Dec. 31
SUPERHEROES MOVIE MARATHON (CTV Sci-Fi Channel)*
Fighting its way into the New Year CTV Sci-Fi joins forces with heroes from all corners of fandom with the SUPERHEROES MOVIE MARATHON. Beginning at 4:30 a.m. ET, viewers can stave off the Christmas lulls with the action packed marathon featuring Marvel and DC heroes, ending with the premiere of DEADPOOL 2, Thursday Dec. 31 at 10 p.m. ET.
Friday, Jan. 1 – Sunday, Jan. 3
WHEN ANIMALS ATTACK! MARATHON (CTV Sci-Fi Channel)*
Beginning at 4 a.m. ET, CTV Sci-Fi answers the age old question, what to get the person who has everything? How about tips on how to survive an animal attack! The ANIMALS ATTACK! MARATHON features human triumph against the most dangerous beasts on the planet in RAMAPAGE, KING KONG, TREMORS, DEEP BLUE SEA, JURASSIC PARK, JAWS, and new to CTV Sci-Fi THE MEG.
For a complete list of the network’s festive programming, click here. CTV’s festive programming will also be available on demand throughout the holiday season on the CTV.ca hub and the CTV app.
