CHANNEL 5 JOINS INTERIOR DESIGNERS COLIN AND JUSTIN ON THEIR GREAT CANADIAN ESCAPE

London, Friday 8th April 2022: Channel 5 has today announced a brand-new series Colin and Justin’s Great Canadian Escape, following Scottish interior designers and couple Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan as they buy and transform a run-down hotel in rural Nova Scotia and attempt to turn it into a luxury high end boutique hotel.    

Produced by Ricochet, this four-part series (4 x 60’) will follow metropolitan designers Colin and Justin as they take on the riskiest venture of their lives, moving to a small coastal town in rural Canada where they’re attempting to become hoteliers for the first time.

With the aim of opening in early summer 2022, this observational documentary series will track this ambitious undertaking as the duo buy and transform a 21-room, old fashioned and tired hotel which includes a restaurant and beach house. 

Not only will this series follow their attempts to renovate the hotel, it will also document their personal journey settling in to the local community as these city boys try to get the town on board, hiring local tradespeople and suppliers, from lumber merchants to blacksmiths and hotel staff. We’ll also get a flavour of what life is like living in remote Canada. 

With beautiful landscapes cut against the reality of a rural town, the series gives a peek into small town living, the strength of community and a charismatic couple following their dream.   

Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan said: “We’re super excited to be returning to Channel 5 with this series that follows our Canadian hotel adventure. It started in the early part of the pandemic when we felt locked out from our regular lives in Glasgow, London and Toronto.  When we stumbled across an exciting a hotel for sale in Cape Breton, in need of major updating but with so much potential, we emptied our bank account and ploughed our pension into the purchase. What we quickly learned is that there's no such thing as a bargain. Have we made the wrong decision, and can our relationship weather the storm? As hoteliers with no experience whatsoever, some might say we're in over our heads, ring leading our toughest challenge ever, but we can’t wait to see what happens next.” 

Ricochet Executive Producer, Robi Dutta said: "We are thrilled that Ricochet are filming with Colin and Justin again and their latest Canadian exploits attempting to follow their dream and become hoteliers for the first time.”   

Ricochet Executive Producer, Emma Walsh, added: “Not only will they be bringing their city ways to the edges of the Atlantic, we will see a whole new side of them as they ingratiate themselves in a tight knit community hiring staff, getting building work done and running service. It promises to push them well outside their comfort zone."    

Colin and Justin’s Great Canadian Escape (4 x 60’) was commissioned by Lucy Willis for Channel 5. It will be produced by Ricochet and Executive Produced by Robi Dutta and Emma Walsh. 

PRESS CONTACT: Hannah Allan: hannah.allan@vimn.com TEL: 07890 065 221