Battle of the Blades returns to CBC

Battle of the Blades returns to CBC television this fall, after being put on hiatus in 2012 while the public broadcaster dealt with budget cuts.

The reality show asks  former hockey players to don figure skates and perfect a pairs ice routine with a figure-skater partner.

Female hockey player Tessa Bonhomme and Olympic skater David Pelletier won in the third season of Battle of the Blades in 2011.

On Tuesday, CBC announced the return of 21 of its shows in 2013-14 as well as longer seasons for its hit series Republic of Doyle and Murdoch Mysteries. There will 17 episodes made of each drama for 2014, instead of 13.

Also renewed is Cracked, the unusual police procedural that was the only new primetime drama introduced by CBC this season. 

Cracked recently was sold to France and to the U.S.-based Reelz cable network, according to producer White Pine Pictures.

In 2012, CBC saw its parliamentary allocation reduced by $115 million over three years and introduced repeats to its primetime schedule to help fill the gaps. Meanwhile, the hockey lockout last fall threatened to put a major bite into the network's ad revenue.

But the return of hockey in January was a big boost for CBC's overall revenue picture, according to Christine Wilson, executive director of content for CBC English Services.  

Other returning primetime shows:

• 22 Minutes
• Arctic Air
• Doc Zone
• Dragons’ Den
• Heartland
• Mr. D
• The Nature of Things
• The Rick Mercer Report. 

CBC has yet to announced its full 2013-14 season, but said it will include a miniseries based on award-winning novel The Best Laid Plans and a movie adaptation of The Book of Negroes.