CBC has big audience aspirations as Trebek steps in for Next PM
January 19, 2009 by
Marise Strauss
CBC has tapped Jeopardy!‘s Alex Trebek to host the upcoming installment of its one-hour special Canada’s Next Great Prime Minister.
Trebek – who takes over for comedian Rick Mercer – will lead four young aspiring politicians as they are grilled by a panel of former PMs including Paul Martin, Brian Mulroney, Kim Campbell and Joe Clark. The studio audience will decide the winner.
The candidates will compete for a $50,000 cash prize and a six-month paid internship at a high-profile firm such as Magna International (a well-known source of politicos).
CBC looks to grow ratings for Next PM, which grabbed a solid 865,000 viewers in its debut year, 2007, when it aired in the Thursday 7 pm slot, but declined to 400,000 last year when it aired on Easter Sunday at 8 pm (all numbers 2+).
Next PM airs Mar. 18 at 8 pm.
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