Highlights of programs new to CBC Gem this April:
- CBC’s great Canadian book debate, Canada Reads, returns for its 25th edition from April 13 through April 16 on CBC Gem and across CBC platforms, searching for “One Book to Build Bridges.”
- New CBC original series Must Love Dogs (pictured, Apr. 20) follows CFL All-Star and two-time Grey Cup winner Brady Oliveira and realtor–rescue influencer Alex Blumberg as the Winnipeg power couple work to rescue and rehome dogs across Manitoba.
- From Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Ric Esther Bienstock, new two-part CBC original POV documentary Speechless (April 14, also on CBC TV) examines a decade of clashes over speech and identity on college campuses.
- Acclaimed international series debuting in April include The Bold Type (Apr. 3), revealing a glimpse into the outrageous lives and loves of those responsible for a global women’s magazine starring Katie Stevens (Faking It), Aisha Dee (Apple Cider Vinegar) and Meghann Fahy (The White Lotus); the exclusive Canadian premiere of Run (Apr. 10), the extraordinary true story of Australia’s most notorious bank robber; FX’s Dying for Sex (Apr. 17), the award-winning limited series starring Michelle Williams as a woman exploring her sexual desires after a terminal breast cancer diagnosis; and I, Jack Wright (Apr. 24), a tense UK family drama triggered by a mysterious death and shocking will.
- The Nature of Things continues with Cheetah Fast and Wild (Apr. 2, also on CBC TV), about two sister cheetahs raised in captivity who learn how to live wild, and The Mosquitos are Winning! (Apr. 9, also on CBC TV), exploring the ongoing battle against mosquitos.
- Ongoing concert series CBC Live at Massey Hall (Apr. 14) features a new episode with Adam Baldwin.
- Celebrate National Canadian Film Day on April 15 with the Spotlight on Canadian Film Collection, including CBC Films’ The Queen of My Dreams (Apr. 3), as 22-year-old Azra Malik returns to Karachi after her father’s death and confronts family secrets, plus powerful homegrown drama I Don't Know Who You Are (Apr. 10).
- Documentary highlights also include Champions: Full Gallop Season 2 (Apr. 3), where jump jockeys and trainers face fierce rivalries in the battle to become horse jump racing Champions; Bad Nanny (Apr. 10), exposing Samantha Cookes, a master manipulator who defrauded families across Ireland and the UK; and in celebration of their 15th anniversary, William & Kate: A Royal Wedding Minute by Minute (Apr. 24) relives the royal wedding from Westminster Abbey to the iconic balcony kiss.
- Documentary Earthbound (Apr. 22) joins the Our Changing Planet Collection in time for Earth Day, exploring the life and achievements of Nzambi Matee, a Kenyan innovator and entrepreneur who is tackling the plastic waste epidemic in her hometown of Nairobi.
- Lifestyle programming highlights include the return of Grand Designs UK Season 24 (Apr. 3), as ambitious homeowners push the boundaries of architecture and design to create their dream spaces.
CBC Gem is Canada’s streaming service, offering more than 6500 hours of live and on-demand Canadian programming and a curated selection of acclaimed, best-in-class content from around the world, including more than 400 documentary features, more than 700 hours of ad-free content for kids and tweens, and a collection of over 400 Canadian feature films. CBC Gem is available for free as an app for iOS and Android devices and online at CBCGem.ca, and on connected TVs via Roku, Samsung, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, LG, Google Chromecast, Android TV and Xbox, as well as TV service provider Rogers Xfinity.
For images from CBC Gem titles, please visit the CBC Media Centre and sign in/create an account. Please credit Courtesy of CBC Gem.
CBC ORIGINAL SERIES
Must Love Dogs
(10x30, Lifestyle docuseries, Omnifilm Entertainment)
Four episodes available to stream Apr. 20, with 2 new episodes available every Monday
*New CBC Original Series*
Must Love Dogs is a heartwarming half-hour series following the fascinating lives of CFL All-Star and two-time Grey Cup winner Brady Oliveira and realtor-rescue influencer Alex Blumberg. Together with the dedicated volunteers of local animal welfare groups, this Winnipeg power couple rescues and finds forever homes for dogs in need across Manitoba.
Must Love Dogs offers an intimate look at how this Winnipeg power couple navigates high-stakes rescues, Brady’s drive to win another championship for the Blue Bombers, daily life with their own four pups, and their race to rehome as many dogs as possible before a brutal winter sets in. It’s a love story – between two people, their hometown, and every four-legged soul that steals their hearts.
CBC Live at Massey Hall (new episode)
Begins streaming Thursday, April 14
*Exclusive Canadian Premiere*
East Coast singer-songwriter Adam Baldwin charms the Massey Hall audience with his storytelling and intimate songs.
ACCLAIMED INTERNATIONAL SERIES
The Bold Type Season 1
(10x45, Comedy, Freeform, USA)
Begins streaming Friday, April 3
The Bold Type reveals a glimpse into the outrageous lives and loves of those responsible for the global women's magazine, "Scarlet." The rising generation of Scarlet women leans on one another as they find their own voices in a sea of intimidating leaders. Together they explore sexuality, identity, love and fashion. Starring Aisha Dee (Apple Cider Vinegar), Katie Stevens (Faking It), Meghann Fahy (The White Lotus), Sam Page (Shrinking), Matt Ward (Upload), and Melora Hardin (The Office).
Run
(6x60, Drama, Crime, Warner Bros. Australia, Australia)
Begins streaming Friday, April 10
*Exclusive Canadian Premiere*
A series about the infamous Australian criminal, Brenden Abbott, who committed multiple armed robberies before being sentenced to 28 years in jail. This drama is based on his life and charts the five years between Abbott’s two prison escapes.
“fantastic performances in this series”; "this compelling story is a top-notch local drama, deserving of viewers worldwide"
Clare Rigden, The West Australian
Dying For Sex
(8x30, Drama, FX, USA)
Begins streaming Friday, April 17
After Molly Kochan (Michelle Williams) receives a diagnosis of Stage IV metastatic breast cancer, she decides to leave her husband Steve, and begins to explore the full breadth and complexity of her sexual desires for the first time in her life. She gets the courage and support to go on this adventure from her best friend Nikki (Jenny Slate), who stays by her side until the very end. Michelle Williams won the 2026 Golden Globe for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television.
I, Jack Wright
(6 x 45, Drama, Crime, Mystery, Federation Stories, UK)
Begins streaming Friday, April 24
A death in the family. A bombshell will. A murderer in their ranks? The apparent death by suicide of high-powered businessman Jack Wright sends a shockwave through his family. As his many wives and children fight over the remains of his estate, a dogged police detective investigates – and uncovers the shocking truth about this well-heeled family. Thrilling drama starring John Simm and Nikki Amuka-Bird, also featuring Trevor Eve.
“a great cast and bold writing”; “deliciously watchable”
Rachel Cooke, The New Statesman
DOCUMENTARIES
The Nature of Things: Cheetah Fast and Wild
Begins streaming Thursday, April 2 (also on CBC TV at 9 p.m., 9:30 NT)
Orphaned and raised in captivity after lions killed their mother, two cheetah sisters now have a chance to live wild. They just need to learn to hunt.
The Nature of Things: The Mosquitoes Are Winning!
Begins streaming Thursday, April 9 (also on CBC TV at 9 p.m., 9:30 NT)
Mosquitoes have shaped wars and empires throughout human history - they're our deadliest predator. Now scientists are racing to stop an enemy evolving faster than we can fight it.
Speechless
(2x90, a CBC and documentary Channel Original, directed by Ric Esther Bienstock)
Both parts begin streaming Tuesday, April 14 (also on CBC TV: April 14 and 15 at 8 p.m., 8:30 NT)
Filmed on campuses in the U.S. and the U.K., this evocative two-part documentary brings together years of investigation and on-the-ground filmmaking by director Ric Esther Bienstock to chronicle one of the most polarizing cultural shifts of our time. Speechless features voices across the ideological spectrum, from progressive organizers and critics of campus orthodoxy to conservative activists and institutional challengers. The documentary reveals contradictions, blind spots and unintended consequences on all sides. Blending verité filmmaking with raw protest footage, insider testimony, archival material, viral social media and animation, the documentary poses the urgent question: What happens when a society loses the ability to tolerate disagreement and power decides who gets to speak?
Champions: Full Gallop Season 2
(6x60, Documentary Series/Sport, South Shore, UK)
Begins streaming Friday, April 3
*Exclusive Canadian Premiere*
Jump jockeys and trainers are back for more dramatic thrills, and bone crunching spills, as rivalries reach fever pitch in the battle to become Champions of the 2024/25 season.
Bad Nanny
(2 x 60, Documentary Series, Alleycats TV, UK )
Begins streaming Friday, April 10
*Exclusive Canadian Premiere*
A jaw-dropping two-part documentary that unravels the astonishing true story of Samantha Cookes - serial scammer, master manipulator, and at one point, a trusted nanny. Across the UK and Ireland, Samantha used a revolving door of aliases to deceive everyone from vulnerable families to online communities.
William & Kate: A Royal Wedding Minute By Minute
(60min, Documentary, Kalel Productions, UK)
Begins streaming Friday, April 24
*Exclusive Canadian Premiere*
It was the wedding of the decade: a future Queen, a global audience of two billion, and a moment of pure royal spectacle. Now, over a decade later, this documentary takes a forensic, minute-by-minute look at the most anticipated royal wedding of modern times from Kate Middleton’s breath-taking entrance to the moment she became the Duchess of Cambridge, through to the after-party celebrations. With access to insiders, fashion experts, royal commentators, and superfans, we uncover the hidden details behind the historic day.
OUR CHANGING PLANET COLLECTION
Earthbound
(60min, Documentary, directed by Farhoud Meybodi)
Begins streaming Wednesday, April 22
From a Nairobi backyard to a citywide revolution: engineer Nzambi Matee turns plastic trash into rock‑solid paving bricks. Facing cultural and financial barriers, Nzambe is determined to create a business that transforms 500 kilograms of plastic waste a day into usable construction materials.
LIFESTYLE
Grand Designs UK Season 24
(7x60, Lifestyle, Naked, Boundless, UK)
Begins streaming Friday, April 3
*Exclusive Canadian Premiere*
Presenter Kevin McCloud returns with a new season featuring bold visions, self-build castles, sustainable homes, woodland retreats, and transformative architecture.
SPOTLIGHT ON CANADIAN FILM COLLECTION
The Queen of My Dreams
(96min, Comedy/Drama, directed by Fawzia Mirza) *CBC Films*
Begins streaming Friday, April 3
In 1999, 22-year-old Azra Malik, a queer Pakistani Muslim living in Toronto, is estranged from her conservative mother, Mariam. When her father Hassan suddenly dies while visiting family in Karachi, Azra rushes to Pakistan for the burial. Immersed in the city’s vivid sounds and smells, she is impacted by memories not only of her own past but also of her mother’s.
I Don't Know Who You Are
(103min, Drama, directed by Houston Bone, Canada)
Begins streaming Friday, April 10
Benjamin, a working class gay man living in Toronto, struggles to obtain expensive health care after being assaulted by a stranger.
KIDS AND TWEENS
The Next Step Season 10
(20x30, Tween, Boat Rocker Studios, Canada)
Begins streaming Tuesday, March 31
The Next Step’s ‘A-Troupe’ have proven their worth as champions, but when a new competition puts their reputation on the line, the dancers must give everything they’ve got to defend their legacy and save their studio.
THE BEST OF CBC
The Canadian streaming home of hit CBC original series including Allegiance, The Great Canadian Baking Show, Heartland, Kim’s Convenience, Murdoch Mysteries, North of North, Saint-Pierre, Schitt’s Creek, Wild Cards and Workin’ Moms, plus Baroness Von Sketch Show, BlackBerry, Bones Of Crows, Mr. D, Pretty Hard Cases, The Porter, Run the Burbs, Son of a Critch, Sort Of, Still Standing and Tallboyz, and classic CBC hits like Being Erica.
COMING IN MAY
Coroner to the Stars
Hana Korea
Mad Men
Poker Face Season 2
Romesh: Can’t Knock the Hustle
Romesh: Live at the O2
