Alliance, Corus send big bosses undercover

Alliance Films is going Undercover with Corus Entertainment.

The Toronto-based distributor and prodco and Toronto-based broadcaster are teaming up to bring the popular Undercover Boss format to Canada with Undercover Boss Canada. The Canadianized version of the show will premiere Feb. 2 at 9 p.m. on W Network.

The 10-ep series, based on the format devised by L.A. and London-based Studio Lambert, will feature executives from Canadian corporations going undercover as entry-level employees in their own companies, including execs from The Toronto Zoo (John Tracogna), Pizza Pizza (Paul Goddard), the Toronto Transit Commission (Karen Stintz), Second Cup (Stacey Mowbray) and Cineplex Entertainment (Ellis Jacob).

Starting Jan. 30, the series will launch a four-week marketing campaign across radio, newspaper, Facebook, and exposure on Corus specialty channels and websites. A 10-week contest called “The Undercover Boss Canada Ultimate Giveaway,” which will let viewers enter to win prizes from each of the 10 participating corporations, will also launch Jan. 30.

The original Undercover Boss U.K. series debuted in 2009, and has spawned series franchises in the U.S. (which aired in Canada on CTV) and Germany.

Undercover Boss has aired in more than 175 territories through sales of the U.K. and U.S. shows and as a format sale. Studio Lambert umbrella co, All3Media International, will also market the Canadian show to international broadcasters.

Thomas Howe is executive producer of Undercover Boss Canada.

Photo: Pizza Pizza CEO Paul Goddard undercover as a franchise employee