Bell Media is expanding the MasterChef Canada brand into the holiday season with a festive special that marks a first for the format internationally.

Bridging the gap between its successful first season and its second now in production, the two-hour special will air on Bell Media’s CTV  channel on Dec. 15 at 8 p.m.

The first season of MasterChef Canada averaged 1.8 million viewers on CTV, making it the most-watched Canadian series for the 2013 to 2014 broadcast season. Season two of MasterChef is set to bow on CTV in winter 2015.

Kraft Canada and Ontario Yours to Discover have also signed on as partners for the MasterChef Canada holiday special. Kraft Peanut Butter will be integrated into one of the holiday baking challenges, and Ontario Yours to Discover will be airing custom creative during the special’s commercial breaks on CTV. Kraft was a premiere sponsor on season one of MasterChef Canada.

The holiday special will see seasons one competitors joined by their families for a cook-off competition. Each family will cook up a series of festive dishes, which will then be critiqued by MasterChef Canada judges Michael Bonacini, Alvin Leung and Claudio Aprile. The winners will be awarded $10,000 to give to a charity of their choice.

Update Nov. 24, 2014: CTV has issued the following corrections to its announcement regarding the MasterChef Canada holiday special: Kraft Canada and Ontario Tourism were incorrectly identified as sponsors in the release when in fact they are partners; and Ontario’s tourism body was incorrectly identified as Ontario Tourism when it is Ontario Yours to Discover.

From Playback Daily