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Bell Media president says risky gay hockey drama became biggest Canadian global hit

Sean Cohan, president of Bell Media in Toronto, stated at the Access Canada Summit on Wednesday that the series Heated Rivalry is the largest global success produced by a Canadian company.

Leadership views trade war impact

Cohan noted that escalating cross-border trade tensions have increased demand for homegrown shows among Canadian audiences. He described the current economic climate as an unusually patriotic time in Canada following political taunts from the United States.

Programming team faced job fears

The president recalled a difficult meeting where his programming team worried about losing their jobs over developing the series. He acknowledged that the project was considered risky before the company decided to move forward with production.

Series reaches international audiences

Bell Media relocated its leadership from New York City to Toronto in late 2023 to oversee these projects. The executive credited the show with putting Canada's top media giant on the global stage.

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