TORONTO (August 8, 2016) – The heroes of the highway are back as they fight to keep some of the most economically important, travelled, and inhospitable trucking routes in North America open during Season 5 of HIGHWAY THRU HELL. A Top 3 series on Discovery and Top 10 series on all of entertainment specialty television in Canada last season, the original Canadian hit series returns for its milestone fifth edition, premiering Tuesday,Sept. 13 at 10 p.m. ET/ PT on Discovery.
Click HERE for a sneak peek of Season 5 of HIGHWAY THRU HELL.
The 13-episode season follows the men of Jamie Davis Heavy Rescue as Davis faces the biggest changes and challenges in his life: downsizing his Alberta operation as a result of the economic downturn and returning to his B.C. mountain base roots. But before Season 5 gets underway, viewers can get primed with a special HIGHWAY THRU HELL episode, recapping the previous four seasons and featuring scenes from the new season on Tuesday,Sept. 6 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Discovery.
Subscribers can access live streaming of HIGHWAY THRU HELL through theDiscovery GO app, catch up on Seasons 2-4 on demand on the Discovery GOapp and Discovery.ca, and Season 1 on CraveTV.
During the fifth season of Discovery’s HIGHWAY THRU HELL, viewers are treated to an exclusive first look at the all-new original Canadian series HEAVY RESCUE: 401. Also produced by Great Pacific TV and coming Winter 2017,HEAVY RESCUE: 401 focuses on the unique challenges and intensity of heavy rescue along Ontario’s 400 series of highways. Details of the sneak peek and complete winter season schedule will be announced at a later date.
Toyota makes its return as the exclusive series sponsor, featuring the full-size Tundra pickup for Season 5 of HIGHWAY THRU HELL.
“We are thrilled that HIGHWAY THRU HELL is back for what we’re confident is its strongest season yet, as we promise to deliver the series’ most extraordinary wrecks, along with the biting drama that has always been its hallmark,” said Ken MacDonald, Vice-President and General Manager, Discovery. “During Season 4, HIGHWAY consistently won its timeslot, helping make Discovery the country’s #1 entertainment specialty network. It was the unfailing consistency of HIGHWAY’s growth and success that prompted us to franchise our key series as we hit the country’s busiest highway for HEAVY RESCUE: 401 in Winter 2017.”
Each one-hour episode features Jamie’s legendary heavy rescue team and his competitors Mission Towing and Quiring Towing, all working to keep the roads open in perilous working conditions. This season, Scott Bird, the veteran operator who worked for Jamie three winters ago, returns to lead the team in Hope, B.C. Scott may be one of the best in the business, but he has little patience for anything less than perfection. And the last time he worked for Jamie, it didn’t end well. Now Jamie is counting on Scott to “play nice” and help him rebuild.
Up on “The Smasher”, the notorious steep and snowy section of “The Coq” highway, Quiring Towing’s Al Quiring and Gord Boyd are back to rescue truckers in deep trouble. And in the Fraser Valley, Mission Towing’s Jordie Duperon continues to build on the success of his family’s 60-year tow business. After four years away, Jordie’s younger brother Nik returns to the Mission team and the siblings are set to take on some of their toughest wrecks yet to prove to their Grandpa Wally that they’re ready to own the family business.
Ready to face the pounding snow and ice on the Coquihalla Highway, and the twisted roads and hazards of the narrow Canyon Highway in Hope, three family tow businesses in B.C. take on some of the most spectacular heavy rescues and backroad recoveries ever tackled for Season 5. From a semi dangling off a 300-foot bridge and vehicles in raging rivers, to massive dump truck rollovers and a logging truck 700 feet down a mountain cliff, the crews are ready to tackle any disaster this season…because closure is not an option!
HIGHWAY THRU HELL is produced by Great Pacific TV in association with Discovery Canada. Executive Producer is Mark Miller. The series producer is Neil Thomas. For Discovery, Bruce Glawson is Executive Producer. Ken MacDonald is Vice-President and General Manager, Discovery. Tracey Pearce is President, Distribution and Pay, Bell Media.
About Great Pacific Media:
Great Pacific Media is a global leader in factual television. Started by TV veterans Blair Reekie and Mark Miller, their programs are seen in more than 170 countries. They specialize in development, production, co-production, and financing of factual, documentary, game show and reality television. Great Pacific Media was recently acquired by the Thunderbird Group of companies to accelerate the growth of Thunderbird’s presence in the unscripted television space. The Thunderbird Group includes UK -based theatrical distributors Soda Pictures and Vancouver-based production companies Reunion Pictures and Atomic Cartoons. www.greatpacifictv.com
About Bell Media Independent Production:
Bell Media has commissioned some of Canada’s most-watched and most-acclaimed original programming, working with the best Canadian independent producers in the country. Hit series commissioned by CTV include ratings success stories SAVING HOPE, MOTIVE, the record-breaking THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, and MASTERCHEF CANADA. Upcoming original series on CTV include CARDINAL and THE DISAPPEARANCE. Among the original scripted series on Bell Media pay, specialty, and streaming platforms are the internationally acclaimed ORPHAN BLACK, Space’s most-watched original series KILLJOYS, Bravo’s award-winning and most-watched original drama 19-2, award-winning dramedy SENSITIVE SKIN, CraveTV’s first original series LETTERKENNY, Discovery’s upcoming drama FRONTIER, and Comedy’s new satirical news series THE BEAVERTON. Discovery is also home to Bell Media’s hit factual series HIGHWAY THRU HELL, COLD WATER COWBOYS, and CANADA’S WORST DRIVER, among others. Bell Media is one of the first media companies in North America to commit to producing all new scripted series in 4K.
About Discovery:
With compelling real-life programming that inspires and entertains, Discovery reveals the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement. Discovery ranks as the #1 Canadian entertainment specialty network among total viewers and all the adult demos. Discovery offers a signature mix of adrenaline-charged stories, larger-than-life personalities and vivid imagery for viewers with curious minds. With the best non-fiction programming from Canada and around the world, Discovery captures the excitement of a passion for life – one lived fully and at its most extreme. With exceptional and immersive storytelling, the channel offers in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses at the extraordinary people and places that shape our world. Launched in Canada in 1995, Discovery is now available in more than eight million Canadian homes. Discovery Canada is a joint venture between Bell Media, which is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada’s largest communications company, and Discovery Communications Inc. Find more information and interactive online features at Discovery.ca.
For more information:
Nicola Pender
604-683-3555
nicola@thunderbird.tv