CANADIAN ICON ANNE MURRAY TO HOST
THE 12TH ANNUAL WALK OF FAME TRIBUTE / THE CANADA HONOURS
Broadcast Premiere Sunday, September 13 – 9pm ET/PT on Global and SLICE
The 2009 Canada’s Walk of Fame inductees include: Blue Rodeo, Kim Cattrall, Tom Cochrane, Dsquared2, Howie Mandel, Robert Munsch, Chantal Petitclerc and Raymond Burr
For additional photography, press kit materials and inductee bios visit: www.canwesttvmedia.com
TORONTO, August 13, 2009 – Canwest and Canada’s Walk of Fame proudly announce international performer and award-winning singer, Anne Murray, as Host of the 12th Annual Walk of Fame Tribute, also known as The Canada Honours.
Premiering Sunday, September 13th – 9pm ET/PT on Global and SLICE, the annual star-packed gala event will be held at Toronto’s Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts on Saturday, September 12 and will feature retrospective videos, special performances and celebrity presenters who will be confirmed in the coming weeks.
"As one of the inaugural year's inductees, we couldn't have asked for a more perfect host for this year's event than Anne Murray," commented Christine Shipton, SVP, Drama and Factual Content, Global Television. “The amazing line up of talented inductees, with Anne at the helm, guarantees our audience a remarkable evening of entertainment.”
A 1998 Canada's Walk of Fame recipient, Anne Murray has delighted millions of fans around the world with her signature voice and time honoured songs. Having sold over 54 million recordings, Murray has been recognized by the music industry many times over, including four Grammy Awards, 24 Juno Awards, three American Music Awards and three CMA Awards. She is currently finishing work on her memoirs to be published by Knopf Canada and released by Random House in North America on October 27th.
"Anne Murray's music has endeared her to millions of Canadians," said Peter Soumalias, Founding Director, and President of Canada’s Walk of Fame. “Her rich voice is recognized around the world and her timeless songs have become woven into the fabric of our nation’s culture. She is a true ambassador of Canada’s global contribution to music.”
Celebrating its 12th annual ceremony, this year’s tribute will expand Canada’s Walk of Fame’s list of inductees to 124, shining the spotlight on these Canadian icons: musical group Blue Rodeo; actor, the late Raymond Burr; actress Kim Cattrall; rocker Tom Cochrane; designers Dean & Dan Caten (Dsquared2); comedian Howie Mandel; children’s author Robert Munsch and Para-olympian Chantal Petitclerc.
The two-hour Walk of Fame Tribute / The Canada Honours, is presented to a selection of internationally recognized Canadian luminaries for their lifetime achievements in the fields of music, sport, film and television, as well as the literary, visual and performing arts, science and innovation.
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About Canada’s Walk of Fame:
Established in 1998, Canada’s Walk of Fame aims to educate, inform, and inspire through the permanent celebration of the achievements in Canadian music, sport, film and television as well as the literary, visual and performing arts, and science and innovation. The annual celebration culminates in a televised tribute special that honours Canada’s finest stars from the worlds of arts, entertainment, and sports. Each inductee is immortalized, their names forever cemented into the sidewalks of Toronto’s entertainment district. To date, 116 Canadians have been honoured including Margaret Atwood, Jim Carrey, Steve Nash, Michael J. Fox and Celine Dion. A complete list of inductees along with more information on Canada’s Walk of Fame can be found at www.canadaswalkoffame.com
About Canwest Originals:
Canwest is the proud home of the most diverse slate of Canadian Original programs across the Dramatic, Lifestyle and Entertainment genres. As a steadfast supporter of the Canadian production community, Canwest is dedicated to bringing the best of the country to audiences nationwide - including award winning shows such as; The Guard, Howie Do It, Sarah’s House, Holmes on Homes, X-Weighted, Kenny vs. Spenny, and the nation’s number one entertainment newsmagazine Entertainment Tonight Canada.
About Canwest Broadcasting:
Canwest Broadcasting operates two conventional television networks, Global Television and E!, and eighteen of the country's most popular specialty channels, including HGTV, Mystery TV, National Geographic Channel, Showcase, History and TVtropolis. Canwest Broadcasting is a division of Canwest Media Inc.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Jacqueline Kendall, Publicist
Canwest Broadcasting
(416) 934-7850
jkendall@canwest.com
Jaclyn Atwood, Publicist
Canwest Broadcasting
(416) 966-7293
jatwood@canwest.com
Adrienne Kakoullis
Holmes Creative Communications
416-628-5610
akakoullis@hccink.com
Chris McDowall
Holmes Creative Communication
416-628-5648
cmcdowall@hccink.com