Bell Media’s Discovery Channel has renewed Thunderbird Entertainment-owned Great Pacific Media’s (GPM) unscripted series Highway Thru Hell for a 13th season, pushing the long-running show to a milestone 200 episodes.

Highway Thru Hell premiered in 2012 and follows a B.C.-based rescue and towing company operating on one of the most treacherous stretches of highway in the B.C. interior. The newly-greenlit season is now in production, with season 12 of the series currently airing new episodes until Jan. 29, 2024. The 13th season will bring the total number of episodes to 204.

The series is distributed internationally by Banijay Rights, and has been sold to more than 180 territories globally.

“Highway Thru Hell is one of the longest-running unscripted series anywhere. Its success in Canada, the U.S., and globally, is a testament to the incredible work performed day in and day out by the heavy rescue companies that allow us to come along for the ride, and a legion of incredibly hardworking and talented production team members over the seasons,” said GPM president David Way in a statement.

Ontario-shot feature Jersey Boy wraps production

Production has wrapped in Ontario on the feature Jersey Boy, written and directed by Sikh-Canadian filmmaker Jaskaran Singh of Paradox Lost.

The film is produced by Virinderpaul Singh under Mississauga, Ont.-based prodco Versatile Pictures, and Pulkit Datta from the U.S.-based Tyger Tyger Productions. Production wrapped earlier this month, after filming in Hamilton, Mississauga and Sarnia. It was supported by ACTRA and William F. White International.

Jersey Boy follows a Sikh boy who faces an identity crisis in America in the aftermath of 9/11. The film features an all-Canadian cast, including Praneet Akilla (SkyMed), Sara Garcia (Ride), Surjun Lail, Rayaan Singh Sahni, and Grace Grewal (Superman and Lois).

Akilla is represented by Play Management and Canopy Media Partners; Garcia is repped by Grand Wave Entertainment; Sahni is repped by Glickman-Alexander Talent Management; Grewal is repped by VA Entertainment.

New Metric Media launches Letterkenny whisky brand 

New Metric Media is chasing its Letterkenny beer brand Puppers with the launch of a new whisky brand, Gus N’ Bruno, ahead of the final season of its flagship series.

The Toronto prodco has partnered with Chatham Kent Bonded Services to launch the Canadian spirit in the U.S., with a planned expansion of inventory currently in the works. Gus N’ Bruno is based on the fictional whisky featured in Letterkenny, and has a “valiant, vibrant, velvety finish,” according to a news release.

The 12th and final season of Letterkenny will be released on Crave on Dec. 25.

“As we savour the last round of laughter in this celebratory final season of Letterkenny, we’ll toast to the incredible journey of the series and the spirits that make it all the more memorable,” said New Metric Media founder and CEO Mark Montefiore in a statement.

Image courtesy of Great Pacific Media