In perhaps the most enthralling season ever for the CBC original BATTLE OF THE BLADES, Amanda Evora & Scott Thornton were crowned Season Four champions in a grand spectacle tonight. Having received the most votes from coast to coast, following an extended voting period ending Friday, the final outcome caps off an exhilarating season. It was seven intense weeks of twists and turns, both dramatically and on the ice, with perhaps the most advanced all around skating ever seen on BATTLE OF THE BLADES.
After two routines last week and stellar praise from Kurt Browning and fellow judges Jamie Salé and P.J. Stock, it was up to Canada’s votes alone to determine the winner as the judges didn’t score the final performances. The numbers were close between the three finalists - Violetta Afanasieva & Jason Strudwick, Marie-France Dubreuil & Mathieu Dandenault, and Amanda Evora & Scott Thornton - but when the snow fell at the end of it, it was Amanda & Scott who would earn the most votes and be declared champions of Season Four.
Canada’s votes for Amanda & Scott were also a major gift for The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation with a $100,000 donation as result. Second runners up Violetta Afanasieva & Jason Strudwick and third runners up Marie-France Dubreuil & Mathieu Dandenault will receive $35,000 and $30,000 respectively for their charities.
It was a jam-packed finale with all 16 skaters returning for a special group number to start the show. Having hoisted 10 Stanley Cups and brandishing four Olympic medals among them, the highly decorated Season Four skaters looked on as the three final pairs performed a special sextet to celebrate the season. Fans also enjoyed a special performance from Kurt Browning and a guest routine from Mini Blades champions Georgia-Ann Reidl and Austin Martell.
New for Season Four, the Mini Blades competitions were a partnership between CBC and Skate Canada where select clubs were invited to host their own Mini Blades competitions, to serve as a fundraising initiative and to spotlight local skating clubs across Canada. Georgie and Austin hail from the Stayner Skating Club of Stayner, ON.
Fans can also watch the final Season Four winners, judges, choreographers and host Ron MacLean reflect on the past seven weeks in a one hour episode, which will air Dec. 1 at 8 p.m (8:30 NT). Loaded with exclusive footage and behind the scenes revelations, BATTLE OF THE BLADES devotees can celebrate the stories from a riveting season.
Amanda & Scott join an elite group of skaters with Season One champions Jamie Salé & Craig Simpson, Season Two Champions Ekaterina Gordeeva & Valeri Bure, and Season Three Champions David Pelletier & Tessa Bonhomme. As Season Four concludes, BATTLE OF THE BLADES has raised over $1 million for various charities since the first episode aired in 2009.
First time participant Amanda Evora is two-time U.S. Pairs Silver Medallist and the first ever Filipino-American to compete in the Winter Olympics. Her partner Scott Thornton was drafted third overall in 1989 by the Toronto Maple Leafs and in his 18-year NHL career also played for the Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Canadiens, Dallas Stars, Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks.
BATTLE OF THE BLADES is the highest-rated original Canadian format of all time. Combining athletes from two of Canada’s favourite sports, figure skating and hockey, eight World and Olympic figure skaters pair up with eight NHL hockey greats in the ultimate skating competition for charity. Anchoring CBC’s 2013 Fall Sunday night schedule, BATTLE OF THE BLADES airs at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) on CBC.
Find the show online at:
@cbcbattle | #BOTB
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About BATTLE OF THE BLADES:
For more information about the competitors, please visit the official online portal of BATTLE OF THE BLADES, cbc.ca/battle. BATTLE OF THE BLADES is executive produced by John Brunton, Barbara Bowlby and Sandra Bezic who is also a co-creator. Supervising producer is Lindsay Cox with producers Erin Brock and Mark Lysakowski. It is produced by Insight Productions in association with CBC Television.
About CBC/Radio-Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. The Corporation is a leader in reaching Canadians on new platforms and delivers a comprehensive range of radio, television, internet, and satellite-based services. Deeply rooted in the regions, CBC/Radio-Canada is the only domestic broadcaster to offer diverse regional and cultural perspectives in English, French and eight Aboriginal languages.
Insight Production Company Ltd, headed by John Brunton & Barbara Bowlby has become an industry leader in the creative development, financing and production of highly rated television programs and cutting edge multiplatform content for the global market in every genre. Since 1979, it has been recognized for its reputation for quality as the recipient of numerous international awards, including multiple Gemini’s. The company has created thousands of hours of groundbreaking television that continues to be broadcast over major networks worldwide. Recent hits include THE JUNO AWARDS, THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, BIG BROTHER CANADA, TOP CHEF CANADA, NEVER EVER DO THIS AT HOME and original formats including CANADA SINGS. For more information visit:
For more information including series synopses, press releases, hi-res images, video clips and bios, please visit the CBC Media Centre at cbc.ca/mediacentre. Follow CBC’s publicity team on Twitter @CBC_Publicity.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Renee Weekes
publicist, CBC
416 205 2053(office) / 416 729 7945 (mobile)
Cary Mignault
Unit Publicity Manager, Insight Productions
416-435-9295
