Proper Television’s first Netflix commission to debut in August

Motel Makeover will premiere in more than 190 countries next month and was shot on location in Sauble Beach, ON.

Proper Television has produced its first Netflix original with Motel Makeover, set to premiere worldwide on Aug. 25.

The 6 x 30-minute unscripted lifestyle series was shot on location at Sauble Beach in Southwestern Ontario, the second longest freshwater beach in the world. It marks the first time Netflix has commissioned a series from the Boat Rocker-owned prodco.

It follows June Motel owners and best friends April Brown and Sarah Sklash as they renovate a rundown roadside motel (the 24-room Knight’s Inn), set on the eastern shore of Lake Huron, into their flashy second location. The pair of “moteliers” opened their first motel in Prince Edward County in 2017 with Instagram-worthy rooms that are consistently sold out.

Motel Makeover will be available in more than 190 countries at launch. Executive producers on the series are Proper Television co-presidents Cathie James and Lesia Capone. Jessica Nahmias serves as co-executive producer and series producer. The series was jointly financed by Boat Rocker and Netflix.

“These women represent the millennial entrepreneur’s dream: being your own boss, taking huge risks, and doing what you love with your best friend,” said James in a statement. “The ups and downs of it all are captivating to watch.”

Proper Television has produced more than 1,000 hours of unscripted content, including CBC’s The Great Canadian Baking Show, Food Network Canada’s Junior Chef Showdown and CTV series Mary’s Kitchen Crush and MasterChef Canada.

Netflix announced it will set up a Canadian office in Toronto this year and is in the midst of hiring a domestic content executive. The streamer currently has four Toronto-based listings open on its career site, including the position of manager, original series.