ABOUT THE SHOW

Canada has world famous celebrities and a vibrant visual arts community made up of world class artists. With STAR PORTRAITS we celebrate both!

Created by Toronto-based production company PTV Productions, based on the hit BBC program, and hosted by Broadway star Louise Pitre, this unique 13-part series heads into uncharted waters. It introduces Canadians to working artists and pairs them with well-known Canadian personalities as their subject.

In each 30-minute episode, three Canadian painters are brought together, each to paint the same celebrity's portrait. With the clock ticking, the artists have mere hours to get to know their subject. Once the excitement of meeting their celebrity muse fades, the artists are left with only two weeks to create their masterpieces. Pitre visits the artists' studios to get a glimpse of their process. When the clock runs out, the paintings are revealed to the celebrity sitter, who must choose only one portrait to add to their personal collection. Of the remaining portraits, six will be chosen by the Portrait Gallery of Canada for their permanent collection and the rest will be auctioned off at Joyner Waddington's Auction of Important Canadian Art, with proceeds going to the celebrities' charity of choice.

David Suzuki (Sept. 11) kicks off the highly-anticipated second season, followed by Mary Walsh (Sept. 18), and Rex Harrington (Sept. 25). Upcoming celebrity guests include Gordon Pinsent, Lauren Woolstencroft, Craig Kielburger, Seán Cullen, FASHIONTELEVISION’s Jeanne Beker, ETALK’s Tanya Kim, and Blue Rodeo’s Jim Cuddy.