'The Amazing Race Canada' to debut next year

Phil Keoghan CBS

PopGoesTheNews.com CTV is set to announce it is producing a Canadian edition of popular reality series The Amazing Race, according to sources.

Phil Keoghan, host of the CBS series (which airs on CTV), taped an announcement in Toronto in the first week of November that will air during the Dec. 2 episode.

The Amazing Race, in which teams travel to countries around the world and compete in various challenges, debuted on CBS in 2001. Now in its 21^st season, the show has consistently been a ratings winner for CTV, with about 2 million viewers. South of the border, the series draws about 10 million viewers.

The Amazing Race has franchised internationally, with versions airing in Australia, China, France, Israel, Latin America, Norway, Philippines and Ukraine.

“There are bigger fans of The Amazing Race in Canada than any other country,” Keoghan said in a 2008 interview. “They love the show with a passion that is truly extraordinary.”

Canadians have not been allowed to audition for the U.S. version of the show because, in part, producers worried Canadian passport holders would be able to clear customs quicker than Americans – giving them an unfair advantage.

Canada was showcased in two seasons of The Amazing Race as teams visited Calgary and Banff in Season 5 and then Montreal, Toronto and Niagara Falls in Season 8.

Casting information for The Amazing Race Canada has not been announced, and it is not known who will host the show. It will likely debut next summer.

UPDATE (12/02) CTV has confirmed what you read here first! The Amazing Race Canada will debut next year. For more information go to ctv.ca/theamazingracecanada. PopGoesTheNews.com broke the news on Nov. 30, which was quickly picked up by the National Post, Toronto Star and Huffington Post.

This article has been revised since originally posted.