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Explosive New Special The Blasters Premieres on Discovery Channel on February 26. Two-part special charges into the world of demolition

January 26, 2006

Montreal, January 26, 2006 : Charge into the explosive world of demolition blasting with The Blasters, a two-part special profiling a unique band of men and women who nearly eat, sleep and breathe TNT and RDX. Premiering Sunday, February 26 at 8 p.m. ET/9p.m. PT on Discovery Channel, watch as these demolition experts bring down everything from super-long bridges and stadiums to conference centres around the world. Watch as they get the contract, plan, test, rig and finally throw the switch on a major blast. Because mistakes and failures – potentially catastrophic to life, limb and property – are always possible, the stakes and the tensions run high.

Media Note – Photography is available on-line at www.ctvmedia.ca/discovery

Professional blasters profiled include Mick Williams, who is getting ready to blast an English rugby stadium – until a sudden terrorist bombing in central London results in a prohibition on all detonations; The Gustafson family in the United States, who must knock down the centre section of a North Dakota bridge without damaging the new bridge that’s standing right next to it; American blaster Steve Pettigrew who grapples with the task of bringing down one of the largest demolition jobs planned anywhere in the world this year; and Europe’s only female blast engineer Holly Bennett.

The Blasters – Episode One
Sun., Feb. 26 at 8 p.m. ET/9p.m. PT
When a sudden terrorist bombing in central London halts all planed detonations, Mick Williams, of Controlled Demolition Group, faces an explosive problem: how to bring down England’s famed Twickenham rugby stadium. Also, meet the Gustafson, a family of demolition experts charged with the task of knocking down the centre section of North Dakota’s 1,366-metre Four Bears Bridge without damaging the brand new bridge that’s standing right next to it. Then, this episode rejoins the British blast team Controlled Demolition – this time in Amman, Jordan – as they prepare to blow up the former Jordanian Intelligence Headquarters to make way for an upscale shopping complex.

The Blasters – Episode Two
Sun., Feb. 26 at 9 p.m. ET/10p.m. PT
One of America’s most respected explosives engineers, Steve Pettigrew, attempts one of the largest blasts held anywhere on the planet this year: The Charlotte Convention Centre in Charlotte, North Carolina, a sprawling, four-story building that covers an entire city block. In rural Ohio, catch up with the Gustafson as they prepare to blast a bridge without destroying an historic war memorial – a project made infinitely more challenging when they must rely on the help of rookie workers with no explosives experience. Then, in Dublin Ireland, Britain’s only female blasting engineer, Holly Bennet, commands a team of men through the work needed to bring down an apartment building – but a labour dispute has her team unable to work.

A Canada-UK co-production, The Blasters is produced by Cineflix, Nextfilm and Media Productions Ltd. In association with Discovery Channel Canada, Discovery US, and Discovery International, with the financial participation of the Quebec Film and Television Tax Credit administered by SODEC and the Canadian Film or Video Tax Credit, as well as the Government of Ontario – the Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit.

Cineflix is a dynamic, independent television production and distribution company dedicated to entertaining audiences with innovative non-fiction programming. Its growing catalogue of over 200 hours of factual programming includes history, science, documentary and factual entertainment shows, viewed by audiences in more than 50 countries. Cineflix International, its sales and distribution unit headquartered in Dublin and with a sales office in London, oversees the worldwide distribution of the Cineflix catalogue and select third party programs.

Bold and leading edge, while informing and entertaining, Discovery Channel is Canada’s leading source for factual programming, as it puts a new spin on exploring adventure, science and technology. This award-winning channel covers the scientific beat, from animals to the animalistic side of humanity, from the sea to space, and the latest in innovation. Roper Reports Canada has ranked Discovery Channel Canada first among all English-language Canadian specialty networks for overall quality of programming for eight consecutive years. Discovery Channel is one of the first Canadian specialty channels to offer programs in HDTV and its production house, Exploration Production Inc. (EPI), continues to be internationally recognized as a producer of cutting-edge programming. The channel’s Web site may be found at www.discoverychannel.ca.