BEST TIME EVER WITH NEIL PATRICK HARRIS Promoted to CTV for Opening Weeks, Premiering Sept. 15

- Five-time EMMY Award^® and Tony Award^®-winner Neil Patrick Harris hosts new live, one-hour, eight-episode, comedy/variety series from ITV Studios America -
- Reese Witherspoon and Ricky Martin among celebrity guests to appear -
- BEST TIME EVER WITH NEIL PATRICK HARRIS moves to CTV Two beginning Oct. 6 -

To tweet this release: http://bmpr.ca/1JNereh

"[It is] like seven or eight different types of shows all happening simultaneously. It's a cavalcade of madness." - Host Neil Patrick Harris

TORONTO, Sept. 2, 2015 /CNW/ - The countdown to fall premieres is on, and CTV announced today its new, live, anything-can-happen series BEST TIME EVER WITH NEIL PATRICK HARRIS has been upgraded to air across CTV for its first three weeks, before moving to CTV Two on Oct. 6 (see scheduling details below). The series will now receive its highly anticipated broadcast premiere on Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 10 p.m. ET/PT across Canada in all CTV markets. Hosted by the multi-talented, five-time EMMY and Tony Award-winner Neil Patrick Harris, the eight-episode, one-hour, live series is based on the popular hit British television series ANT & DEC'S SATURDAY NIGHT TAKEAWAY, produced by ITV Studios America and distributed internationally by ITV Studios Global Entertainment.

"We're seizing an opportunity to make this hot new series available to the largest possible audience, coupled with a desire to drive on-demand awareness and digital uptake when it moves to CTV Two," said Mike Cosentino, Head, Programming, CTV Networks and CraveTV. "And of course the series will be available to all Canadians via CTV GO and CTV.ca."

Already generating a lot of buzz, the genre-busting series promises stunts, sketch comedy, pranks, musical performances, magic, audience interaction and giveaways, celebrity appearances, and unlimited surprises. BEST TIME EVER WITH NEIL PATRICK HARRIS airs Tuesday, Sept. 15 and 22 at 10 p.m. ET/PT and Tuesday, Sept. 29 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, before continuing in its regular Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT timeslot on CTV Two beginning Oct. 6 (visit CTV.ca to confirm local broadcast times).

"We are thrilled to have CTV on board as our Canadian TV partner for this exciting live entertainment series. Audiences truly have not seen anything like this!" said Craig Bohland, VP Sales, North America, ITV Studios Global Entertainment.

**Media Note** - Download photos for BEST TIME EVER WITH NEIL PATRICK HARRIS at BellMediaPR.ca.

The celebrity guests confirmed to appear on the series so far this season include Academy Award^®-winning actress Reese Witherspoon (Hot Pursuit) and Grammy Award-winning singer Ricky Martin, who will participate in a game with viewers at home. Each episode of BEST TIME EVER WITH NEIL PATRICK HARRIS features a celebrity guest announcer and will conclude with a segment dubbed the "End of the Show Show," which will be a production number similar to the musical performances Harris is known for from his roles as host for THE OSCARS^®, Tony Awards^®, and EMMY Awards.

The wildly popular U.K. series ANT & DEC'S SATURDAY NIGHT TAKEAWAY has been on the air for 12 seasons, and will return in 2016 for its thirteenth. In 2014, the series took to the road to give fans the chance to experience it live on stage with the touring show Takeaway on Tour. ANT & DEC'S SATURDAY NIGHT TAKEAWAY and its hosts Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly received BAFTA Awards in 2014 and 2015 for Best Entertainment Programme and Best Entertainment Performance respectively and both Ant and Dec serve as executive producers for BEST TIME EVER WITH NEIL PATRICK HARRIS. The duo will travel to New York, where BEST TIME EVER WITH NEIL PATRICK HARRIS is being filmed, for the series' premiere.

BEST TIME EVER WITH NEIL PATRICK HARRIS is produced by ITV Studios America and is distributed internationally by ITV Studios Global Entertainment. Executive Producers are Neil Patrick Harris (HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER), Siobhan Greene (THE X FACTOR), David A. Hurwitz (FEAR FACTOR), Anthony McPartlin (ANT & DEC'S SATURDAY NIGHT TAKEAWAY), Declan Donnelly (ANT & DEC'S SATURDAY NIGHT TAKEAWAY). The series is written by Mason Steinberg (87TH ACADEMY AWARDS^®) and Jim Wise (THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO).

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Twitter:
@CTV_PR
@CTV_Television
@BestTimeEver
Neil Patrick Harris: @ActuallyNPH

Facebook:
Facebook.com/CTV
Facebook.com/BestTimeEverNPH

Instagram:
Instagram.com/BellBediaPR
Instagram.com/CTV_Television
Instagram.com/BestTimeEverNPH

About CTV
CTV is Canada's #1 private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV has been Canada's most-watched television network for the past 14 years in a row. CTV is a division of Bell Media, Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, digital, and Out-of-Home. Bell Media is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. More information about CTV can be found on the network's website at CTV.ca.

SOURCE CTV

Matthew Almeida, CTV Networks, 416.384.2629 or [email protected]
Christy Sullivan, CTV Networks, 416.384.3624 or [email protected]