Insight Productions

Insight Productions is a Canadian television production company based in Toronto, Ontario. It was established in 1970.^[1] Insight is led by CEO John Brunton.^[2]

Insight Productions

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Media Entertainment
Founded	1970; 55 years ago (1970)
Founders	Pen Densham John Watson
Headquarters	135 Liberty Street, Toronto, Ontario , Canada
Key people	John Brunton (CEO)
Parent	Blue Ant Media
Website	www.insighttv.com

History

Insight Productions was established in 1970 by Penray "Pen" Densham and John Kingsley Watson.^[3]

In December 1978, John Brunton, assistant editor and director with Insight, bought the rights to the company from Densham and Watson, becoming president and CEO.^[4]

Insight has created programs in several genres (documentary, drama, sports, variety, comedy, music, reality), and has adapted to shifting tastes, technology and formats. Canadian Idol, an Insight-produced iteration of the successful international format, aired between 2004 and 2008 to record-breaking audiences.^[5]

Insight is also credited with revamping Canada's national music awards, Juno Awards. By moving the show from a theatre to an arena setting, Insight was ultimately able to take the show on the road to cities across the country.^[6]

John Brunton and Barbara Bowlby were awarded the Order of Canada in 2018.^[7][8]

The company released the documentary film Life Times Nine in 1973 for which it was nominated for two Academy Awards.^[1]

The company faces a class-action lawsuit over unpaid wages.^[9]

Recent productions include Big Brother Canada, The Amazing Race Canada, Canada's New Year's Eve: Countdown to 2021, Every Child Matters: Reconciliation Through Education, Juno Awards, Wall of Chefs, Battle of the Blades, Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind, The Launch, Canada's Walk of Fame, Top Chef Canada, I Do, Redo, The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration, and Stronger Together, Tous Ensemble. On April 13, 2021, Amazon Prime Video announced Jay Baruchel will host a Canadian version of LOL: Last One Laughing to be produced by Insight.^[10]

In May 2018, global entertainment company Boat Rocker Media which was based in Insight's founding location Toronto had acquired a 70% majority stake in Insight Productions as Boat Rocker Media expanded its unscripted portfolio whilst Insight Productions continued operating as an independent unit within Boat Rocker Media who would provide investment alongside Insight's chairman and CEO John Brunton who will continue leading the company.^[11] Boat Rocker Media would later announce a deal to acquire the remaining 30% stake of production company Insight Productions in August 2024.^[12]

On March 24, 2025, Blue Ant Media announced its intent to acquire Insight Productions from Boat Rocker Media as part of a larger reverse takeover arrangement.^[13][14]

Filmography

Television

Title	Years	Network	Notes
Stars on Ice	1976–1981	CTV
Ready or Not	1993–1997	Global
Open Mike with Mike Bullard	1997–2003	The Comedy Network
Sponk!	2001–2002	Noggin	co-production with Sesame Workshop
Canadian Idol	2003–2008	CTV	co-production with FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment
Falcon Beach	2006–2007	Global ABC Family	co-production with FremantleMedia and Original Pictures
Project Runway Canada	2007–2009	Slice/Global	co-production with FremantleMedia
Battle of the Blades	2009–present	CBC
Top Chef Canada	2011–present	Flavour Network	co-production with Universal International Studios
Intervention Canada[15]	2011–2019	Slice/T+E[16]	co-production with A+E Networks and Open Door Co.
Canada's Got Talent	2012–present	Citytv
Big Brother Canada	2013–2024	Slice/Global[17]
Never Ever Do This at Home[18]	2013	Discovery Channel Canada
The Amazing Race Canada	2013–present	CTV
The Launch[19]	2018–2019	CTV	co-production with Sony Pictures Television[20], Eureka Productions and Big Machine Records
Dark Side of the 90s[21]	2021–present	Vice TV	co-production with Railsplitter Pictures
LOL: Last One Laughing Canada[22]	2022–present	Amazon Prime Video	co-production with Amazon MGM Studios
Cook At All Costs[23]	2022	Netflix	co-production with Boat Rocker Studios and Eureka Productions
Canada's Ultimate Challenge[24]	2023	CBC	co-production with The Gurin Company
Dark Side of the 2000s	2023	Vice TV	co-production with Railsplitter Pictures

• Are You Smarter than a Canadian 5th Grader?
• A Russell Peters Christmas
• A Christmas Fury
• The Artistry of Torvill and Dean
• Canada Day 150
• Canada's Walk of Fame
• Canada’s New Year’s Eve: Countdown to 2021^[25]
• Canada’s New Year’s Eve: Countdown to 2022
• Deal or No Deal Canada
• Disney's Animal Kingdom: The First Adventure
• Eurovision Canada
• Every Child Matters: Reconciliation Through Education^[26]
• Hatching, Matching and Dispatching
• Heart of Gold
• The Goods
• How to Look Good Naked Canada
• I Do, Redo
• Indigo
• It's Only Rock & Roll
• Jamie & David: A Golden Homecoming
• Jann Arden: Live at Last
• Joni Mitchell: Painting with Words and Music^[27]
• The Jon Dore Television Show
• Juno Awards
• Kurt Browning: Ice Legends
• Kurt Browning: You Must Remember This
• Kurt Browning: Tall in the Saddle
• VJ Search
• Music Without Borders
• One World: The Concert for Tsunami Relief
• Test Pattern
• Saying Goodbye
• Scott Hamilton: Upside Down
• The Seán Cullen Show
• Seán Cullen Home for Christmas
• Sonic Temple
• Star Racer
• Stolen Hearts
• Stronger Together, Tous Ensemble
• The Truth About Alex
• Toller Cranston: A Tribute
• Wall of Chefs
• The Wave

Documentaries

• How to Change the World
• Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind
• The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration
• Comedy Gold: The Hilarious Story of Canadian Comedy

Digital

• Joke or Choke
• But I'm Chris Jericho!
• Damaged