MTV Canada makes a bold play with the all-new, Original Series, PLAY WITH AJ, premiering May 2 at 10:30 p.m. ET. From Bell Media In-House Productions, this hot-new 30-minute weekly series delves into the crossover world of pop culture and sports, exploring everything from fashion and celebrity, to athlete notoriety and stardom.
Hosted by MTV’s own sports enthusiast, Aliya-Jasmine Sovani, viewers can expect a diverse array of interviews and topics ranging from an interview with Tim McGraw about his wife Faith Hill taking over the theme song for NBC’s SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL; chatting with NHL alums Scott Thornton and P.J. Stock about how they spent their first big paycheck; and finding out exactly what kind of music the New York Knicks listen to. The fresh new series is broadcast from MTV’s new HD studios at Bell Media’s 299 Queen St. West headquarters in Toronto, and executive produced by Alex Sopinka (MTV SHOWTOWN).
“As MTV’s first-ever sports/entertainment crossover Original Series, PLAY WITH AJ is poised to bring a fresh take on the collision of sports and pop-culture,” said Neil Staite, Vice-President and General Manager, Music and Entertainment, Bell Media. “We’re excited to have our resident sports junkie, Aliya-Jasmine, at the helm to deliver the most interesting topics and interviews with a perspective that only MTV can deliver.”
“PLAY WITH AJ is the perfect cross of innovative and exciting programming that viewers have come to expect from MTV,” said Alex Sopinka, Executive Producer. “When Aliya-Jasmine approached us about the idea of this series, it instantly felt like a perfect fit for MTV; delivering hot topics, in a unique and interesting way.”
“This is an exciting year for Bell Media In-House Productions as it continues to announce unique programming that strives to break the mold,” said Rick Brace, President, Specialty Channels and CTV Production. “PLAY WITH AJ is no different, and MTV is poised to score big with this new series”
In the premiere episode, AJ chats with retired Mexican American MMA and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Tito Ortiz, about his opinion on athletes turned movie stars.
A staple of the MTV family, Aliya-Jasmine Sovani is not only the host and a producer of PLAY WITH AJ, but also takes the reigns at MTV IMPACT, where she delves into serious topics that affect MTV viewers, and aims to spark discussion and debate. A former playoffs reporter for the NHL Network and TSN.ca, as well as the 2012 Euro Cup social media correspondent for TSN’s SPORTSCENTRE, Sovani covered the ultimate sports event, Vancouver 2010, as the Whistler reporter for CTV’s OLYMPIC MORNING. Above all, she is an unabashed hockey fan: born and raised in Ottawa, she proudly supports the Ottawa Senators at every opportunity. In addition to being selected as one of Hello!’s 50 Most Beautiful Canadians, Sovani has received international recognition from media outlets including CNN, THE VIEW, THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO, and GOOD MORNING AMERICA for a Breast Cancer Awareness viral video she wrote, created, and starred in, entitled “Save the Boobs“, in support of ReThink Breast Cancer. Sovani currently sits as the co-chair for The Boobyball, a successful fundraiser for breast cancer research.