“Every year, when the Academy announces these nominations, it is never lost on me just how hard our casts and crews have worked to receive these accolades,” said Christina Jennings, President and Chairman, Shaftesbury. “Their contributions are invaluable, and we could not be more pleased that they are being recognized today.”
Best Children’s or Youth Fiction Program or Series Christina Jennings, Scott Garvie, Jennifer McCann, Jennifer Kassabian, Yannick Bisson and Robina Lord Stafford
Shaftesbury is an award-winning creator and producer of original content for television, film, and digital, established in 1987 by Christina Jennings, Chairman and President. Shaftesbury’s current primetime slate includes 16 seasons of the international hit series Murdoch Mysteries for CBC, ITV Studios and UKTV, and five seasons of Hudson & Rex for Citytv, both are available in over 120 countries worldwide. Other projects include: the acclaimed horror anthology series Slasher on Shudder and Hollywood Suite, with Emmy® Award-winner Eric McCormack starring in the upcoming fifth season; three seasons of the acclaimed six-part event series Departure for Global starring Emmy® Award-winner Archie Panjabi and the late Academy® Award-winner Christopher Plummer; and SisterS, a new Irish Canadian co-production by and starring Sarah Goldberg (Barry) and Susan Stanley, for Crave, RTÉ and IFC.
TORONTO, CANADA: September 8, 2023 – Shaftesbury is pleased to announce that Christina Fon, formerly the Vice-President/Executive Producer at Rezolution Pictures (Little Bird, Mohawk Girls, RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World), will join the company as VP, Strategic Partnerships and Scripted Content, effective September 11. Based out of Montreal and Toronto, Fon will be part of the Shaftesbury creative team that will source and develop a new slate of content and seek broadcast and distribution partners to finance these projects.
“I’m excited to embark on this new chapter with Shaftesbury and join forces with one of the industry’s most prolific and acclaimed production houses,” said Christina Fon. “After dedicating over 20 years to Rezolution Pictures, I’m thrilled to bring my experience and passion to a new environment in the world of television production. This opportunity allows me to contribute to an established team and continue my journey in helping to shape captivating content for audiences worldwide.”
“We are delighted that Christina Fon is joining Shaftesbury,” said Christina Jennings, Chairman and President, Shaftesbury. “Her passion for storytelling and excellence is well known in our business. She is a respected executive whose track record speaks for itself, including the most recent success with Little Bird.”
With over 27 years of industry experience, Fon has dedicated her career to helping creators tell stories that inspire and entertain audiences around the world. Most recently, she was executive producer on the CRAVE/APTN/Fremantle original series Little Bird, which received critical acclaim and was picked up for broadcast on PBS this October. She is the recipient of a Sundance and Peabody Award, received a nomination for an Emmy® Award in 2020 and has won multiple Canadian Screen Awards. She has orchestrated the greenlight on several projects including Mohawk Girls (streaming on Universal NBC’s Peacock), RUMBLE: the Indians Who Rocked the World (Netflix) and Reel Injun, now in the Academy Museum in LA.
About Shaftesbury Shaftesbury is an award-winning creator and producer of original content for television, film, and digital, established in 1987 by Christina Jennings, Chairman and President. Shaftesbury’s current primetime slate includes 16 seasons of the international hit series Murdoch Mysteries for CBC, ITV Studios and UKTV, and five seasons of Hudson & Rex for Citytv, both available in over 120 countries worldwide. Other projects include: the acclaimed horror anthology series Slasher on Shudder and Hollywood Suite, with Emmy® Award-winner Eric McCormack starring in the upcoming fifth season; three seasons of the acclaimed six-part event series Departure for Global starring Emmy® Award-winner Archie Panjabi and the late Academy® Award-winner Christopher Plummer; and SisterS, a new Irish Canadian co-production by and starring Sarah Goldberg (Barry) and Susan Stanley, for Crave, RTÉ and IFC.
Best Lead Performance, Web Program or Series Kirsten Rasmussen
AboutShaftesbury
Shaftesbury is an award-winning creator and producer of original content for television, film, and digital, established in 1987 by Christina Jennings, Chairman and President. Shaftesbury’s current primetime slate includes 16 seasons of the international hit series Murdoch Mysteries for CBC, ITV Studios and UKTV, and five seasons of Hudson & Rex for Citytv, both are available in over 120 countries worldwide. Other projects include: the acclaimed horror anthology series Slasher on Shudder and Hollywood Suite, with Emmy® Award-winner Eric McCormack starring in the upcoming fifth season; three seasons of the acclaimed six-part event series Departure for Global starring Emmy® Award-winner Archie Panjabi and the late Academy® Award-winner Christopher Plummer; and SisterS, a new Irish Canadian co-production by and starring Sarah Goldberg (Barry) and Susan Stanley, for Crave, RTÉ and IFC.
Canadian Screen Award-winner Shailyn Pierre-Dixon stars as Detective William Murdoch’s time-travelling great-great-great granddaughter
(TORONTO, October 12, 2022) – Shaftesbury announced today that production is now underway on Macy Murdoch (8×11), a new CBC Gem original tween series that follows the adventures of Detective William Murdoch’s time-travelling great-great-great- granddaughter. A spinoff of Shaftesbury and CBC’s hit long-running drama Murdoch Mysteries based on novels written by Maureen Jennings, the series is currently shooting in Toronto and will debut on CBC Gem in spring 2023.
Sixteen-year-old Macy is a forensic wunderkind who unravels a century-old mystery with the help of her two friends Zane and Billie. When a villain uses a time machine to frame famous Edwardian-era Detective William Murdoch for murder, Macy and her friends travel back in time to find the real perpetrator of the crime. Not only are the teens trying to crack a difficult case, but the trio are undercover, trying to solve a mystery in 1910 without the help of modern technology.
Macy Murdoch captures the playful, mystery-loving spirit of Murdoch Mysteries withCanadian Screen Award-winner Shailyn Pierre-Dixon (Pretty Hard Cases, The Book of Negroes) co-leading the series with Beau Han Bridge who plays Zane, and Raffa Virago as Billie. The series will have a special guest appearance by Spencer West, while Shanice Banton (“Mrs. Violet Hart”) and Lachlan Murdoch (“Constable Henry Higgins-Newsome”) from the beloved CBC series will appear in the series as guides to help the young detectives absolve Murdoch of a crime he did not commit.
“Macy Murdoch is as much about time travel and solving a 112-year-old mystery, as it is about searching for identity and belonging,” says Christina Jennings, Chairman and President of Shaftesbury. “It’s exciting to extend the world of Murdoch Mysteries and bring fans of all ages into a present-day setting.”
“We’re incredibly proud to bring this series to CBC Kids,” says Jennifer McCann, Executive Producer and Vice President of Kids & Family. “Our talented cast of fresh faces, brilliant showrunners, writers, director and crew have created an exciting series that will make for a great co-viewing experience.”
“Macy Murdoch will engage young viewers on CBC Gem with fresh, relatable teen characters and an all-new mystery set in the hit Murdoch Mysteries universe,” said Marie McCann, Senior Director, Children’s Content, CBC Kids. “We look forward to sharing the series with tween audiences next year.”
The digital series is directed by Laurie Lynd, and showrunners are Jennifer Kassabian and Robina Lord-Stafford. The series was initially developed by JP Larocque and Jessica Meya. For CBC, Sally Catto is General Manager, Entertainment, Factual and Sports; Marie McCann is Senior Director, Children’s Content, CBC Kids; and Lisa Cinelli is Executive in Charge of Production, Children’s and Youth Programming.
About Shaftesbury Shaftesbury is an award-winning creator and producer of original content for television, film, and digital, established in 1987 by Christina Jennings, Chairman and President. Shaftesbury’s current primetime slate includes 16 seasons of the international hit series Murdoch Mysteries for CBC, ITV Studios and UKTV, and five seasons of Hudson & Rex for Citytv, both are available in over 120 countries worldwide. Other projects include: the acclaimed horror anthology series Slasher on Shudder and Hollywood Suite, with Emmy® Award-winner Eric McCormack starring in the upcoming fifth season; three seasons of the acclaimed six-part event series Departure for Global starring Emmy® Award-winner Archie Panjabi and the late Academy® Award-winner Christopher Plummer; and SisterS, a new Irish Canadian co-production by and starring Sarah Goldberg (Barry) and Susan Stanley, for Crave, RTÉ and IFC. shaftesbury.ca.
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.
For more information Alison Fraser, Director of Publicity, Shaftesbury afraser@shaftesbury.ca Teaghan Hawke, CBC PR [email protected]
Toronto and Kitchener ON | Thursday, October 6 – Shaftesbury, the production company behind Murdoch Mysteries, and THEMUSEUM are excited to announce Murdoch Mysteries: The Experience beginning Friday, November 11, 2022, and running through mid February 2023.
From Cambridge to Kitchener’s Walper Hotel, Waterloo Region has been a favourite spot to film the hit television show, now in its 16th season. The three-month long event will give fans a behind the scenes glimpse of the hit Canadian-made show.
Festivities kick off at Centre in the Square on Friday, November 11 with host, Detective William Murdoch himself, Yannick Bisson for an evening of Murdoch Music presented by the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. Breakfast with Murdoch on Saturday November 12 and Sunday November 13 will feature Christina Jennings, Chairman and President of Shaftesbury, along with Yannick Bisson, Thomas Craig, Arwen Humphreys, Daniel Maslany, and several other cast members. Guests who attend the breakfast panel will be among the first to see the Murdoch Mysteries themed exhibition.
“These events provide a rare opportunity for devoted fans of one of Canada’s longest running drama series to experience the music, costumes, inventions, props and set recreations that have been essential elements of the Murdoch universe,” said Christina Jennings.
David Marskell, CEO of THEMUSEUM said: “I personally am a fan of the show and of the wonderful partnership we have developed with everyone at Shaftesbury. We are so pleased to bring this attraction to our community first as it will draw visitors to our hotels, restaurants and bars helping to reboot the local economy.”
This exhibition represents the second event in a schedule of upcoming Murdoch Mysteries brand extensions that began with two sold-out 7-day tours where fans from as far away as Australia visited locations including Kingston, Dundas, Niagara-on-the-Lake, and Peterborough, along with an on-set visit to watch the series being filmed. Other brand extensions include an augmented reality game Crime Nights set to launch in mid-October, and a live orchestral performance with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in March 2023.
Murdoch Mysteries: In Concert – Tickets available at kwsymphony.ca
Friday, November 11 at 8:00 p.m.
Canada’s #1 drama comes to musical life! See Detective Murdoch, Dr. Julia Ogden, Inspector Brackenreid, Constable George Crabtree, and the entire cast on the big screen accompanied by Robert Carli’s score performed live by the KWS in sync to ‘Murdoch Ahoy’, one of the most beloved and musically rich episodes of the series. Hosted by Yannick Bisson, you’ll also get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the making of the episode.
Breakfast with Murdoch: A Morning Panel with a Q&A Session – at THEMUSEUM.
Saturday, November 12 & Sunday, November 13 at 9:00 a.m.
Join the cast of Murdoch Mysteries for two unique panels on Saturday and Sunday morning. Grab breakfast and settle in for an intimate conversation with various cast and crew. Learn about how the show is made, what to expect from the upcoming season and have your questions answered live.
Investigating Murdoch Mysteries: The Exhibition
Opens November 12 at THEMUSEUM at 10:00 a.m.
Murdoch Mysteries: The Exhibition, transports you behind the scenes of this internationally acclaimed show. Step behind the camera and immerse yourself in the series’ fascinating history, science, and fashion. Explore what it takes to bring the world of Murdoch Mysteries to life through beautiful costumes, steampunk-style inventions, authentic set recreations, and entertaining interactive experiences.
Season 16 of Murdoch Mysteries is now airing in Canada, Mondays at 8:00 p.m. (8:30 NT) on CBC and CBC Gem.
We are THEMUSEUM – ONEWORDUPPERCASE. We are a new kind of experiential museum – one of maverick ideas and unexpected intersections. No dusty objects and no velvet ropes. We are a premier cultural destination dedicated to presenting fresh, inspired content from around the globe in unique and immersive ways designed to showcase art & technology at play.
ABOUT SHAFTESBURY Shaftesbury is an award-winning creator and producer of original content for television, film, and digital, established in 1987 by Christina Jennings, Chairman and President. Shaftesbury’s current primetime slate includes 16 seasons of the international hit series Murdoch Mysteries for CBC, ITV Studios and UKTV, and five seasons of Hudson & Rex for Citytv, both are available in over 120 countries worldwide. Other projects include: the acclaimed horror anthology series Slasher on Shudder and Hollywood Suite, with Emmy® Award-winner Eric McCormack starring in the upcoming fifth season; three seasons of the acclaimed six-part event series Departure for Global starring Emmy® Award-winner Archie Panjabi and the late Academy® Award-winner Christopher Plummer; and SisterS, a new Irish Canadian co-production by and starring Sarah Goldberg (Barry) and Susan Stanley, for Crave, RTÉ and IFC. shaftesbury.ca.
ABOUT KITCHENER-WATERLOO SYMPHONY Innovative, inspiring, and ever-evolving: this is the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. As one of Waterloo Region’s largest arts and cultural organizations, we continue to push boundaries, build community, and welcome and cultivate world-class talent in our community. Who we are and how we approach our work is a reflection of the innovative and entrepreneurial culture which abounds in this Region. Today, the KWS is one of Canada’s outstanding orchestras, presenting a diverse and rich concert season and garnering national and international attention for its artistry, musicianship and innovative programming. Its education and outreach programs serve its evolving community and a continuum of ages. The KWS continues to be the largest employer of artists and cultural workers and the most significant cultural asset for Waterloo Region.
