For eight seasons, Canadians have wondered “did that guy ever get any better after CANADA’S WORST DRIVER? Did she give up her licence for good?” Whatever happened to those drivers left standing in the final episode of each season, the ones bestowed with the title of “Worst” and the runners-up? Find out when “the worst of the worst” return to Driver Rehab for the epic ninth season of CANADA’S WORST DRIVER EVER, premiering Monday, October 21 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Discovery. The all-new season corrals nine of the series’ most notoriously horrible drivers and delivers them (once again) to Driver Rehab, endeavouring to find out just how much – or how little – has changed since attending Rehab the first time.
Across eight seasons, 64 drivers have gone through Driver Rehab, and as 46 drivers graduated and earned back their keys, viewers have learned about safer driving techniques, braking on ice, road rules, parking, reversing, and how fundamentals from the racetrack can apply to everyday driving situations. And what has made these drivers so shockingly bad, has madeCANADA’S WORST DRIVER so gleefully good. After eight seasons of bumper-busting bad behaviours behind the wheel, the series stands as Discovery’s most successful program ever.
Since it launched in 2005, Canadians have consumed more than 108 million hours of CANADA’S WORST DRIVER – that’s more than three full episodes, on average, for every man, woman, and child in this country! CANADA’S WORST DRIVER was also the first Canadian specialty program to top one million viewers (Season 5 finale, 2009), and it has ranked as the #1 non-sports program on specialty TV for four years in a row (2008-09 to 2011-12).*
To the relief of drivers and pedestrians across Canada, series host and writer Andrew Younghusband has hauled these nine still-disastrous drivers off the road and safely sequestered them at the now-familiar Driver Rehabilitation Centre for a second chance to change in Season 9. As always, CANADA’S WORST DRIVER EVER follows the drivers, each nominated by a friend or family member, as they are put through their paces in a controlled driving environment and evaluated by a panel of driving experts. Each episode features the tried-and-tested challenges viewers have come to love – rebooted to mimic the best moments from every season – each designed to push the drivers to their limits and teach them crucial safe driving skills. Each driver must master basic training and more advanced techniques before graduating from Rehab. The stakes are higher than ever in Season 9 – the return to Rehab is a shot at redemption, but for unlucky one driver, it means the ultimate defeat.
Buckled in and back for more, CANADA’S WORST DRIVER EVER Season 9 participants are:
- Michael, from Vancouver Island, BC, is returning to Rehab with his friend Yolanda, who’s concerned for his safety behind the wheel. Carrying the title of second-worst driver in Season 2, Michael has continued to drive since being on the show, although he hasn’t really improved. He recently had another car accident, which required two tow trucks to pull him out of the ditch.
- Kevin, from Burnaby, BC, representing Season 8, has returned to prove that rehab worked for him. After tying for the embarrassing title last year, Kevin and his partner Lenny have left their small town in British Columbia and moved to Burnaby. Kevin is blind in one eye, and is still licensed. Kevin has had a serious accident since the show, although he maintains he’s not Canada’s Worst Driver Ever. His boyfriend is convinced that Kevin needs more training, or needs to be taken off the road… permanently.
- Shelby, from Calgary, AB, was next-to-last Worst Driver in Season 3 – second only to Jason (who hasn’t driven since). Shelby originally came to Rehab to gain more confidence behind the wheel. He’s been driving regularly since CWD3 with only a few scratches. He returns to the Rehab Centre with his brother Elerick.
- Sly, from Red Deer, AB, the Season 7 runner-up, returns to Rehab with his brother-in-law Fred, who says Sly still has a lot to learn. Fred is concerned that Sly’s first experience in Rehab didn’t quite sink in and he continues to be a hazard on the road. Sly has broken the BIG promise he made at the Rehab Centre: while driving, he still relies heavily on the GPS on his phone, and he still eats and drinks soda behind the wheel.
- Dale, from St. Catharines, ON, from Season 6, continued to drive after her stay in Rehab, but is still clueless about road rules and signs. Dale wants to prove to everyone that she is not Canada’s Worst Driver Ever – but no one will get in the car with her. With many mishaps and accident anecdotes, Dale is still a disaster behind the wheel. This time around, she’s bringing a new nominator: another nephew, Danny. Her original nominator, John, refused to get back in the car with her…
- Angelina, from Sudbury, ON, was named Worst Driver in Season 5. She returns to Rehab with her best girlfriend, Christine. Since Rehab, she has continued to drive, despite her ongoing difficulty reversing, parking, driving at night, and staying focused while behind the wheel. Angelina leaves a trail of destruction practically every time she shifts into drive.
- Chris, from Malton, ON, says a lot has changed since he was named Canada’s Worst Driver in back in Season 1. He returns to Rehab as a confident daily driver. With eight years to practice what he learned in Rehab, Chris is back to prove he is not Canada’s Worst Driver Ever.
- Shirley, from Donkin, NS, is coming back to finally graduate. With the training she received on the show in Season 7, Shirley went home and began practicing everything she had learned at the Rehab Centre. Taking charge, she even enrolled herself in a driver’s education course and is now able to make the drive to Halifax to visit her daughter, Janis. Shirley returns to the Rehab Centre to shake the dubious title and prove she is not Canada’s Worst Driver Ever.
- Henrietta, from Summerside, PEI, from Season 2, is back with her husband, Andy. She is checking back into rehab for more training but fears she may very well named Canada’s Worst Driver Ever.
Putting on the brakes, these nine disastrous drivers head to the Driver Rehabilitation Centre in Dunnville, ON. There, they are “reunited” with the team of driving experts, including: CP24’s Cam Woolley, traffic expert and former OPP sergeant, returning for an eighth season; Philippe Létourneau, a professional high-performance driving instructor, back for a seventh season; and expert driving instructor back for a second year, Tim Danter. Also, back for a third season, therapist Shyamala Kirureveals how these unsafe driving practices are threatening these drivers’ personal relationships. These experts have their work cut out for them as they put the drivers through their paces…again! Week by week, one driver will graduate and merge back on to the open road; the final episode will see the last three drivers facing the ultimate showdown on the streets of Hamilton before one is ultimately crowned Canada’s Worst Driver EVER.
Viewers can get revved up online where they can watch exclusive web extras, behind-the-scenes video, and full episodes; plus cruise through photo galleries, series information, and driver bios. Viewers can also join the conversation@CanWorstDriver (#CWD) to share their own encounters with terrible drivers and weigh in on who they think will earn the Worst Driver Ever title.
CANADA’S WORST DRIVER EVER is produced for Discovery by Toronto’s Proper Television.