CBC Television is hoping to tempt daytime audiences with fresh offerings including a new lifestyle show hosted by the Canuck design duo of Steven Sabados and Chris Hyndman, and The Martha Stewart Show, which both headline the pubcaster’s 2007/08 daytime slate.

The schedule was unveiled at a press conference at the Ceeb’s Toronto headquarters on Wednesday.

Programming boss Kirstine Layfield says the network is hoping to capitalize on the popularity of Sabados and Hyndman, who have hosted Designer Guys and Design Rivals, both on HGTV Canada, as well as the style makeover show So Chic on Slice.

‘They come with a built-in audience and that’s a great thing for us, because we want to build on that loyalty, that following,’ Layfield told Playback Daily after the presentation.

The as-of-yet-unnamed show, which will feature fashion, lifestyle, fitness and cooking segments, is currently in rehearsals and will debut on CBC in January in the 2 p.m. timeslot. That slot is occupied in the fall by Wind at My Back.

The syndicated Martha Stewart Show debuts Monday at 11 a.m., in the timeslot formerly held by the defunct The Gill Deacon Show, which was cancelled in May after it failed to draw viewers.

‘It was our first attempt at capturing the elusive daytime audience, and it did not connect,’ Layfield acknowledged.

Rounding out daytime programming is CBC News: Today, airing daily at 12 p.m., followed by the regional series Living In…, and the Great Canadian Food Show at 3 p.m. Late afternoons will rerun comedy imports including Frasier, The Simpsons and Arrested Development.

The Kids’ CBC roster returns with two new shows: CG-animated preschool series Bo on the Go! — produced in association with Halifax Film — and the ‘playful’ interstitials Kids’ Canada, which will appear between shows during the 7-11 a.m. block with host Patty Sullivan.

Returning series including Busytown Mysteries, Animalia and Magi-Nation round out the kids block.