CBC’s original family drama HEARTLAND starts production on its 17th season this week in Alberta. Season 17 features 10 one-hour episodes, the first of which will be the 250th episode of the series that started in 2007. Produced by Dynamo Films and SEVEN24 Films, Season 17 will premiere exclusively in Canada on CBC and CBC Gem this fall.
HEARTLAND is the longest-running one-hour drama in Canadian television history. The series was nominated for the Cogeco Fund Audience Choice Award at the 2023 Canadian Screen Awards and has made its way into the hearts of viewers in more than 120 countries. In 2022, HEARTLAND fans watched 18 billion minutes to make it one of the most-streamed series in the United States. HEARTLAND is the only Canadian-made series to make the overall top-15 series watched by Americans across all streaming platforms.
In Season 17, Amy (Amber Marshall) and the rest of the Heartland family know better than most that while dreams can sometimes come true, more often life takes us in unexpected directions. The new season is all about embracing the unexpected. It’s about new experiences and taking the path less traveled. In Season 17 the Bartlett-Fleming family will find themselves excited for the future and ready to embrace new adventures, challenges, and relationships. But no matter how much things may change, Amy, Lou (Michelle Morgan), Jack (Shaun Johnston), and Tim (Chris Potter) will continue to fight for what they believe in while staying rooted in the land that has been in the Bartlett-Fleming family for generations.
Amber Marshall shares, “It is hard to believe I have been part of 250 HEARTLAND episodes. When I look back and do the math, I’ve spent over 1700 days on set which is roughly 20,400 hours. I really can’t imagine a better group of people to create something so special. We are all so proud of this show.”
Michelle Morgan adds, “HEARTLAND entering the 17th season in an industry where a series is lucky to get a second or a third season is hard to wrap your head around. I attribute the longevity of HEARTLAND to a perfect alchemy of all the most important elements in television. We have a good story engine and great chemistry between the different actors on the set. We have a stunning and unique setting, a little piece of southern Alberta known as the Foothills. We have many knowledgeable local cowboys and cowgirls to guide the show and keep it authentically grounded in the western world. But the most important element is that it is a multi-generational show that anyone in the family can watch and enjoy.”
Shaun Johnston continues, “250 episodes of HEARTLAND! That sure is a beautiful thing. Working on HEARTLAND has been the greatest gift in a professional lifetime for me. And having been in the HEARTLAND family since the very first day of production all those many years back makes me proud to say that I am honoured, humbled, and privileged to be Jack Bartlett. Thank you CBC. And thank you, fans of HEARTLAND.”
Chris Potter finishes off by saying, “In 2007, HEARTLAND presented an opportunity of great promise. Over the course of its seasons, the promise realized, HEARTLAND has become a dream. A way of life for many of us involved in its ongoing creation. As we celebrate our 250th episode milestone it is with admiration for, and congratulations to, every person involved in making the show throughout the seasons. For me the dream goes on until I ride my horse into the HEARTLAND sunset. What a ride it’s been so far!”
Filming locations for Season 17 include Calgary, High River, Millarville, and Longview in Alberta, Canada.
HEARTLAND is based on the bestselling series of books by Lauren Brooke. The executive producers are Michael Weinberg, Tom Cox, Jordy Randall, and Mark Haroun along with co-executive producer Dean Bennett. The series is produced by Jess Maldaner. The series writers are Mark Haroun, Ken Craw, Caitlin Fryers, Heather Conkie, Alexandra Clarke, and Adam Hussein. For CBC, Sally Catto is General Manager, Entertainment, Factual & Sports; Trish Williams is Executive Director, Scripted Content; Sarah Adams is Director, Current Production, Drama; and Barbara Mamabolo is Executive in Charge of Production. A CBC original series, HEARTLAND is produced by Dynamo Films and SEVEN24 Films with the financial participation of the Canada Media Fund, the Government of Alberta, the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit, and the Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit.
eOne is the international distributor of the series.
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DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA
HEARTLAND on CBC’s Facebook page is located @CBCHeartland.
HEARTLAND on Twitter is @HeartlandonCBC.
HEARTLAND Instagram is @official_heartlandonCBC.
HEARTLAND on CBC has an official channel on YouTube.
The official website for Heartland is www.cbc.ca/heartland.
ABOUT DYNAMO FILMS
Dynamo Films Inc. is an independent television production company founded in 2004 by Michael Weinberg. Dynamo purchased the television and ancillary rights to all the HEARTLAND books and created the television series of the same name.
In 2006 the English broadcast rights for Canada were sold by Dynamo to CBC and subsequent sales to other markets have reached more than 120 countries.
Beginning with the very first episode, Michael Weinberg has acted as Executive Producer for the HEARTLAND television show which is the longest running one hour dramatic series in Canadian history and is currently in production on an unprecedented seventeenth season.
ABOUT SEVEN24 FILMS
SEVEN24 Films is an independent film and television production company whose work has spanned over two decades. Executive Producers Tom Cox and Jordy Randall have produced dramatic series, mini-series, television movies and feature films garnering over one hundred industry awards and nominations.
SEVEN24’s current projects include RIDE, a new one-hour series for Hallmark and CTV, FAMILY LAW, the new legal series for Global and CW, the hit family series HEARTLAND – the longest running one-hour series in Canadian history - now in its seventeenth season for CBC, Netflix and UPtv. Other projects include WYNONNA EARP on Syfy and CTV Sci-Fi, and half hour comedy JANN for CTV and Hulu.
SEVEN24’s focus on integration of scripted programming with interactive content and social media has helped make HEARTLAND and WYNONNA EARP two of the most dynamic scripted television projects in the digital space.
Previous projects include DAMNATION with NBC Universal for USA, FORTUNATE SON, a political thriller for CBC and NBCU International, DARK CARGO, a noir thriller for YouTube Premium, YOUNG DRUNK PUNK for Rogers and CBC, the Canadian Screen Award winner Borealis, the Gemini Award winning movie Mayerthorpe and Gemini Award winning Mini-Series BURN UP.
Tom Cox and Jordy Randall were also co-producers on numerous high-profile feature films including the Academy Award nominated Brokeback Mountain and are both recipients of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of their contribution to the arts.
SEVEN24 Films was named Playback Magazine’s Production Company of the Year in 2020.
ABOUT CBC/RADIO-CANADA
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada’s trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. We also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi and Tagalog, as well as both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Justine Gamez Huckabay - Heartland Publicist
Justine.gamez@intercommunicate.co
Winston Ma – CBC PR
