March 2, 2012

The Search Begins as THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW Teams up with IKEA to Discover the Next MARILYN Expert

– Beginning March 5, hopefuls compete in challenges to become the next MARILYN design expert –
– The best designer is announced live on Friday, March 9 on THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW –

To tweet this release:

Toronto, ON (March 2, 2012) – As IKEA says…long live the home! CTV announced today that IKEA has signed on as the design partner of The Search for the Next Marilyn Design Expert for THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW. Beginning Monday, March 5, six self-proclaimed design gurus compete in different design challenges using products from IKEA in hopes of becoming the next MARILYN design expert.

The design hopefuls test their creative abilities to impress a panel of judges including Nan Row, Executive Producer of THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW, and Andrea Mills, IKEA Canada Design Expert. Each day also features a guest judge including MARILYN’s design build contractor Ramsin Khachi (March 5), MARILYN’s resident butler Charles MacPherson (Charles the Butler) (March 6), designer and TV personality Tommy Smythe (SARAH'S HOUSE) (March 7) and international home designer and TV personality Hilary Farr (LOVE IT OR LIST IT) (March 8). After a week of being put through the paces of various IKEA-based design challenges, the successful designer and new MARILYN expert is announced live on THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW on Friday, March 9.

**Media Note** Download photos for THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW at bellmedia.ca.

“We are so excited to partner with IKEA on the next design expert search,” said Mary Kreuk, Vice-President of Brand Partnerships, Bell Media. “While their recognizable designs appeal so strongly to THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW viewers, the brand is also something Canadians both love and can afford.”

The Search for the Next Marilyn Design Expert is a week-long challenge beginning Monday, March 5 with the six finalists competing in their first design challenge. As a reward, the best designer from each daily challenge gets the chance to showoff their skills to the audience and Marilyn herself, with their own in-studio segment. During Wednesday’s show, the aspiring design experts learn an unexpected twist as two hopefuls are sent home. Then, the judges reveal the final challenge where the remaining designers have one day to complete the challenge and present their design live on Thursday’s show to the judges.

Following Thursday’s suspenseful show, viewers can visit marilyn.ca and vote for their favourite designer to help the judges make the final decision on Friday, March 9 live on THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW.

The six expert hopefuls vying for the top spot as a MARILYN design expert include:

Kirsten Marshall
Age: 44
City: Toronto, ON
Design expertise: Incorporating items from big box stores and customizing them for her clients, mainly working on kitchen and bathroom renovations.

Jonathan Sotto
Age: 34
City: Toronto, ON
Design expertise: High-end commercial work such as luxury hotel rooms, spas and private yachts.

Kate Davidson
Age: 31
City: Oakville, ON
Design expertise: Residential and corporate interiors.

Amanda Forrest
Age: 35
City: Victoria, BC
Design expertise: Achieving high-end looks for less, primarily designing family rooms and master bedrooms.

Andrew Pike
Age: 35
City: Toronto, ON
Design expertise: Residential interiors, with experience in everything from colour consultations to full service project management.

Kashia Waloszczyk
Age: 30
Hometown: Milton, ON
Design expertise: Colour coordinating, updating and transforming spaces.

About IKEA
IKEA is a leading home furnishings retailer with 325 stores in 40 countries worldwide, which are visited by 734 million people every year. IKEA Canada has 11 stores which are visited by over 25 million people every year. Last year the IKEA.com websites attracted 904 million visitors. Founded in 1943, IKEA's business philosophy is to offer a wide range of products of good design and function at prices so low, the majority of people can afford them. For more information on IKEA, please visit: www.IKEA.ca.


About THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW
Hosted by Marilyn Denis and broadcast live before a studio audience, THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW is a daily entertainment and lifestyle talk show featuring Canadian and international celebrities and experts, established and emerging alike. Building on Marilyn Denis’ connection to her fans, interviews and ideas are delivered with the ease and humour of a conversation with your best girlfriend. Celebrities who have appeared on THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW include Sir Elton John, Bradley Cooper, Shania Twain, Hugh Jackman, Michael Bublé, Suzanne Somers, Gene Simmons, and many more. THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW airs live Monday-Friday at 10 a.m. ET on CTV, CTV.ca, and CTV Mobile, and then again at 11 a.m. ET on CTV Two, and on demand at marilyn.ca. Fans can also watch Marilyn on the weekend with THE BEST OF THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW, airing Saturdays and Sundays at 12 p.m. ET on CTV Two (check local listings).

To be a part of THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW live studio audience, get the latest additions to the guest lineup, and to join Marilyn’s BFF Network to win exclusive prizes, fans can head to marilyn.ca.

About CTV
CTV, Canada’s Olympic Network, is also Canada's largest private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV is Canada’s most-watched television network and lead broadcaster of the London 2012 Olympic Games. CTV is a division of Bell Media, Canada’s premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio and digital. 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.

Social Media Links:
Twitter:
@CTV_PR
@CTV_Television
@TheMarilynShow
@MarilynDenisCTV
@IKEACanada
Facebook:
Facebook.com/ctv
Facebook.com/MarilynDenis
Facebook.com/IKEACanada

– CTV –

For more information, please contact:
Jacqui VanSickle, Unit Publicist, The Marilyn Denis Show, 416.384.5091 or jacqueline.vansickle@bellmedia.ca

Madeleine Löwenborg-Frick, Public Relations Manager, IKEA Canada, 905.637.9440 x 6378 or madeleine.lowenborg-frick@ikea.com

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