CTV Congratulates 2008 Canadian Idol Champ Theo Tams

For Immediate Release (Sept. 11, 2008)

-- Tams' single, "Sing," now playing on radio across the country

and available for purchase on iTunes --

-- Canadian Idol Top 3 Tour with Theo Tams, Mitch MacDonald and Drew Wright kicks off Nov. 9 --

Toronto, ON (September 11, 2008) - On the heels of the star-studded, confetti-covered season finale last night, CTV congratulates Theo Tams as the 2008 Canadian Idol champion. Tams, a 23-year-old student from Lethbridge, AB, received the majority of the four million plus votes cast across Canada on Monday night. A total of 1.8 million viewers watched at 9:53 p.m. as host Ben Mulroney announced that Tams would become Canada's sixth Idol. More than 3.7 million Canadians watched some part of the broadcast.

Tams' professional music career launches today, with his new single, "Sing," playing on radio stations nationally and available for purchase on iTunes.ca. An upcoming cross-country tour with his fellow Top 3 competitors Mitch MacDonald and Drew Wright launches November 9 in Fredericton with tickets sales booming for the 26-city tour since they went on sale last night. Following a jam-packed day of more than five dozen post-Idol interviews, the newly-minted SONY BMG MUSIC (Canada) artist will head home to celebrate with family and friends in Alberta before he continues to make his mark on the Canadian music industry.

** Media Note ** - Download photography and audio clips from last night's Canadian Idol season finale at idolpix.ca.

"Theo is a natural talent, a dynamic performer and an all-around great guy," said Susanne Boyce, President, Creative, Content and Channels, CTV Inc. "Thank you to all the competitors, cast and crew for entertaining millions of Canadians this summer."

Over the course of the season, Canadian Idol was watched in whole or in part by 14,357,000 Canadians and was sampled by 45% of English-speaking viewers. The series joins So You Think You Can Dance as the Top 2 television programs in Canada this summer. Six seasons and 186 episodes later, Canadian Idol remains the most-watched, Canadian, English-language television series of the year.

Canadian Idol winner Theo Tams wowed Canada all summer, from his unforgettable - and exceedingly sweaty - audition in Calgary, to the thrilling and emotional finale last night. Showcasing soaring vocals and a natural way of delivering the greatest power ballads, Tams is a classically-trained piano prodigy whose first single, "Sing," is produced by JUNO Award-winner Gavin Brown, who has worked with Canadian artists Billy Talent and Three Days Grace.

Tickets are now on sale for the second Canadian Idol Top 3 concert tour, as Theo Tams, Mitch MacDonald and Drew Wright are joined by other Top 10 finalists in cities across Canada. The Top 3 concert tour begins Sunday, November 9 in Fredericton, and visits venues in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta before wrapping up in Hamilton, ON on Monday, December 22. The concerts will feature favourite songs performed this season on Canadian Idol as well as Theo's single, "Sing," and one original composition from each of the Top 3. The three singers will perform together, in combinations and alone, backed by a superb live band that includes some of this country's premiere musicians. Get ticket details at idol.ctv.ca.

See highlights from last night's Canadian Idol season finale on demand on the CTV Video Player at CTV.ca.

Canadian Idol is sponsored by Kraft, Pantene Pro-V, Gillette Venus Embrace, and Gillette Fusion Power.

Canadian Idol was created by Simon Fuller and is produced in association with CTV by Insight Productions. John Brunton and Barbara Bowlby are Executive Producers. Mark Lysakowski is Supervising Producer. Senior Producer is Sue Brophey. Jane Rimer is Executive Consultant for FremantleMedia. Ed Robinson is Executive Vice-President, Programming, CTV Inc. Susanne Boyce is President, Creative, Content and Channels, CTV Inc.

FremantleMedia is one of the largest international creators and producers of programme brands in the world, with leading prime time drama, serial drama, entertainment and factual entertainment programming in over 40 territories. FremantleMedia has production offices in over 20 countries worldwide, providing local sales and production support for its international TV brands such as Idols and the world's longest running game show, The Price is Right.

The company's licensing operation, FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide, exploits FremantleMedia's many strong brands across multiple off-screen platforms including merchandising campaigns, interactive and wireless support, home entertainment and music publishing. Fremantle International Distribution, the company's international distribution division licenses over 19,000 hours of programming to 150 countries worldwide. FremantleMedia is the content arm of the RTL Group, Europe's largest television and radio broadcast company. For further information please see FremantleMedia's website www.fremantlemedia.com.

Simon Fuller's 19 Entertainment is recognised as a leading creator, provider and promoter of globally successful music based entertainment, or "entertainment brands". The company has attracted a unique collection of expertise in people who work together to integrate and leverage activity across television, film, touring, merchandising, music publishing, recording, artist / writer and producer management, sponsorship and promotion. Simon Fuller is the most successful British music manager of all time having sold over 116 million CDs in North America alone, and is known as the creator of "American Idol", the most valuable TV format in the world with an estimated value in excess of $2.5 billion.

CTV, Canada's largest private broadcaster, offers a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming. It has the number-one national newscast, CTV National News With Lloyd Robertson, and is the number-one choice for prime-time viewing. CTVglobemedia Inc. is Canada's premier multi-media company which owns CTV Inc. and The Globe and Mail. CTV Inc. also owns radio stations across the country, and leading national specialty channels. Other CTVglobemedia investments include an interest in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, and in Dome Productions, a North American leader in the provision of mobile high definition production facilities. More information about CTV may be found on the company website at www.ctv.ca.