A pre-dictatorship Castro on camera, The King's Speech dissected, and David Tennant as a father in love after losing his partner, all in TVO's January 2012 highlights

TORONTO, Dec. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ - TVO kicks off the New Year with a lineup of eye-opening new documentaries and dramas. Highlights include:

• World broadcast premiere of the TVO-commissioned documentary Finding Fidel: The Journey of Erik Durschmied, about a renowned war journalist who revisits his career-launching 1958 interview with Fidel Castro, filmed shortly before Castro seized power
• The King's Speech: Revealed - The grandson of King George VI's speech therapist traces the real-life relationship made famous in the Oscar-winning film The King's Speech
• The Battle for North America - The military strategies and techniques that the British army used to win the dramatic 1759 battle that would define modern North America
• Birth of Britain and The Code - Two new documentary series looking at the natural forces that shape our world, from Britain's explosive geological past to the numbers and patterns that structure the entire universe
• Single Father - New drama starring David Tennant (Dr. Who) as a father struggling to raise his four children and manage his love life after the sudden death of his partner

Finding Fidel: The Journey of Erik Durschmied - World Broadcast Premiere
Wednesday January 11, 2012 at 9 pm ET
90 minutes
Directed by Bay Weyman
Produced by Close Up Films in association with TVO

Finding Fidel: The Journey of Erik Durschmied tells the remarkable story of Austrian-Canadian journalist Erik Durschmied, who in 1958 journeyed to Cuba's Sierra Maestra mountains to film one of the first interviews with a little-known rebel leader named Fidel Castro. Shortly after that meeting, Castro's band of fighters rolled into Havana, and Durschmied's career as a top war cameraman was launched.

50 years later Durschmied returns to Castro's rebel camp, still intact high in the Cuban mountains. He recounts a fascinating personal narrative and the story of how he produced the interview, with Castro memorizing his English answers in dozens of takes. Director Bay Weyman interweaves the rarely-seen 1958 footage of life at the rebel camp with Durschmied's reflections on the lost promise of Castro's revolución and on the hinge of fate that shaped his own career.

The Battle for North America - North American Premiere
Monday January 9, 2012 at 10 pm ET
60 minutes
Produced by Ballista Media for BBC

Over 250 years ago, Britain and France fought a battle for Québec that would change the world. Now largely forgotten, the British victory at the Battle of the Plains of Abraham just outside Québec City was a pivotal moment in history that would lead to the creation of modern North America as we know it today.

Historian Dan Snow sets sail up the St. Lawrence River to recreate the British campaign. He heads out into the wilds surrounding Québec, takes to the air, and trains as an 18th-century infantryman to get a true idea of what the campaign and battle would have been like for the soldiers involved.

The King's Speech: Revealed - North American Premiere
Monday January 2, 2012 at 10 pm ET
50 minutes
Produced by Bedlam Productions

The true story behind the Oscar-winning film The King's Speech. Join Mark Logue, the grandson of King George VI's pioneering speech therapist Lionel Logue, as he discovers an extraordinary archive of personal diaries and letters between Lionel and the King. The King's Speech: Revealed follows Mark on a cross-continent journey to learn about the life of his fascinating grandfather as a member of the royal family's inner circle. Mark meets with a former patient of Lionel's to learn about his techniques and joins screenwriter David Seidler and actor Geoffrey Rush to find out how the historical facts inspired the feature film.

At Home with the Georgians - North American Premiere

Mondays January 16 to 30, 2012 at 10 pm ET
3 / 50 minutes
Produced by Matchlight for BBC

What's behind our modern-day obsession with our homes, from buying and renovating them, to making them beautiful and defining ourselves through the way they look? It might seem like a very recent phenomenon, dating back to the 1980s or even the 1950s, but historian Amanda Vickery has traced this love affair back to 18th century Georgian Britain. Vickery takes us into the palaces of the wealthy, the parlours of the middle class, and the attics of the poor to reveal how our homes have come to be at the centre of our lives.

Birth of Britain - North American Premiere
Tuesdays January 24 to February 7, 2012 at 9 pm ET
3 / 50 minutes
Produced by Pioneer Productions in association with Channel 4

Explore the geological history of the British Isles with Time Team's Tony Robinson and discover that Edinburgh was once a giant volcano, the banks of the Thames were once home to monkeys and rhinos, and Wales was once the site of a Roman gold mine. In this three-part series, Robinson ventures into Britain's extraordinary and fiery past to reveal how the islands were forged from molten rock, volcanic explosions, ice and seismic upheaval.

The Code - North American Premiere
Tuesdays January 3 to 17, 2012 at 9 pm ET
3 / 60 minutes
Co-produced by BBC and The Open University

In this intriguing three-part series, mathematics professor Marcus du Sautoy (The Story of Maths) goes in search of a mysterious code: the numbers, shapes and patterns that govern our world. From the delicate architecture of our veins to the startling beauty of the night sky, numbers are everywhere. Du Sautoy reveals patterns of numbers and shapes and explores the strange connections between them that explain why the universe is the way it is.

Single Father - North American Premiere
Sundays January 8 to 29, 2012 at 10 pm ET
4 / 50 minutes
A Red production for BBC

David Tennant (Dr. Who) stars in this touching and humorous four-part drama about a man struggling to raise his four children after the death of his partner. When Rita dies suddenly, Dave faces the daunting prospect of bringing up their children on his own, as well as coping with his own and his children's grief.

Things get even more complicated when Dave begins to fall in love with Rita's best friend. Is Dave betraying Rita by falling in love again so quickly, or will he be walking away from happiness if he ignores his feelings? With his children at the centre of his world, Dave worries what will happen when they find out. Single Father asks how soon is too soon to fall in love again?

Allan Gregg in Conversation  - Peter C. Newman - Friday January 20, 2012 at 10 pm ET
The veteran journalist and author discusses his new book When the Gods Changed: The Death of Liberal Canada, about the downfall of the federal Liberal party.

Born to be Different  Series 5 - Sundays January 22 to February 5, 2012 at 8 pm ET
Three new installments in the on-going documentary project that follows the lives of six children growing up with disabilities. As the children turn nine and ten, they and their families face new challenges and some children begin to make their own decisions about their future.

New Tricks - Sundays January 8 to March 11, 2012 at 9 pm ET
In the eighth series of New Tricks, the UCOS team of retired detectives investigates cold cases involving everything from biker gangs and tiger maulings to amnesiac cyclists and cold fusion scientists, and some team members even find time for a little romance.

New on TVOKids

Finding Stuff Out
Premieres Friday January 20, 2012
Fridays at 5:30 pm ET and Saturdays at 9:30 am ET
16 / 30 minutes
Produced by Apartment 11 Productions in association with TVO

Finding Stuff Out is a lively science-oriented series which, instead of imposing adult notions on kids about what they should know, gives them what they want: answers to the questions that matter to them the most! Using demonstrations, eye-catching videos, playful animations, and science experts, the kids hosting the show will chase down the answers, informing and entertaining their audience along the way. Hosted by Harrison Houde (Diary of a Wimpy Kid).

Poppy Cat
Sundays at 9:30 am ET starting January 22, 2012
52 / 10 minutes
Produced by Coolabi Productions and Rollo Films

Poppy Cat is a little cat with a big imagination who has been introduced to the world through the books written and illustrated by Lara Jones. Poppy Cat's colourful, animated world is easily identifiable to the preschool-aged child, as Poppy Cat and her friends laugh, play, explore and pretend together. The series reinforces language acquisition skills and encourages verbal creativity through the use of rhyming narration.

About TVO

TVO is Ontario's public educational media organization and a trusted source of interactive educational content that informs, inspires and stimulates curiosity and thought. TVO's vision is to empower people to be engaged citizens of Ontario through educational media. TVO is funded primarily by the Province of Ontario. As a registered charity, TVO depends on the support of its sponsors and individual donors. For more information, visit tvo.org.

Where to Find TVO

SOURCE TVO

Video with caption: "Video: Finding Fidel: The Journey of Erik Durschmied - A renowned war journalist travels to Cuba to revisit his career-launching 1958 interview with Fidel Castro, filmed shortly before Castro seizes power.". Video available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqolAdjK3DI

Video with caption: "Video: The Battle for North America - Historian Dan Snow explores the military strategies and techniques that the British army used to win the dramatic 1759 battle that would define modern North America.". Video available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw_49p5l-Ak

Video with caption: "Video: The King's Speech Revealed - The grandson of King George VI's speech therapist traces the real-life relationship made famous in the Oscar-winning film The King's Speech. ". Video available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0woZCzB5xA

Video with caption: "Video: At Home with the Georgians - Historian Amanda Vickery tours 18th-century residences to discover the roots of our modern-day obsession with our homes. ". Video available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVybZm-6lg0

Video with caption: "Video: Birth of Britain - Time Team's Tony Robinson ventures into Britain's geological past to reveal how the islands were forged from molten rock, volcanic explosions, ice and seismic upheaval. ". Video available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0PCSQZTrsQ

Video with caption: "Video: The Code - Mathematics professor Marcus du Sautoy goes in search of a mysterious code: the numbers, shapes and patterns that govern our world. ". Video available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBNFTcxO0pA

Video with caption: "Video: Single Father - David Tennant plays a father struggling to raise his four children and manage his love life after the sudden death of his partner. ". Video available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRzkdJ_Z_t4

Video with caption: "Video: Finding Stuff Out - Science fun for kids, by kids.". Video available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt0Tscm2OK0

Image with caption: "Finding Fidel - Erik Durschmied speaking to Fidel Castro in his rebel camp in 1958. (CNW Group/TVO)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111206_C9850_PHOTO_EN_7362.jpg

Image with caption: "The Battle for North America - Presenter Dan Snow (foreground) with Lace Wars, Re-enactors, Stratford Armouries. © Ballista Media 2010 (CNW Group/TVO)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111206_C9850_PHOTO_EN_7361.jpg

Image with caption: "The King's Speech Revealed - Photo of Lionel Logue and wife among letters and a copy of George VI's speech (lower left). (CNW Group/TVO)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111206_C9850_PHOTO_EN_7363.jpg

Image with caption: "At Home with the Georgians - Host Amanda Vickery (left) with actors in Georgian period attire. (CNW Group/TVO)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111206_C9850_PHOTO_EN_7360.jpg

Image with caption: "Birth of Britain - Host Tony Robinson at Edinburgh Castle. (CNW Group/TVO)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111206_C9850_PHOTO_EN_7364.jpg

Image with caption: "The Code - Host Marcus du Sautoy at the Sunkenkirk stone circle. (CNW Group/TVO)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111206_C9850_PHOTO_EN_7367.jpg

Image with caption: "Single Father - Star David Tennant (centre) and cast. © Red Productions 2010. (CNW Group/TVO)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111206_C9850_PHOTO_EN_7366.jpg

Image with caption: "New Tricks - The cast of New Tricks (l-r) Dennis Waterman, Amanda Redman, Alun Armstrong, and James Bolam. © Wall to Wall Television 2011. (CNW Group/TVO)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111206_C9850_PHOTO_EN_7365.jpg

Image with caption: "Finding Stuff Out - Host Harrison Houde. Copyright Apartment 11 Productions. (CNW Group/TVO)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111206_C9850_PHOTO_EN_7871.jpg

Image with caption: "Poppy Cat: Poppy Cat and friends on a high seas adventure. (CNW Group/TVO)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111206_C9850_PHOTO_EN_7872.jpg