The Giller Prize on CTV

Canada's most prestigious literary award has a new broadcast home and with it, a new host. This year, CTV’s Seamus O'Regan will host the broadcast of the Scotiabank Giller Prize.

The one-hour live broadcast of the gala black tie dinner and awards ceremony will air live on talktv on Tuesday, Nov. 8 at 9 p.m. ET, with live cut-ins airing on CTV Newsnet between 9 and 10 p.m. ET.

The literary event and prize presentation will also air three times on CTV: later that night following The Colbert Report at 1:05 a.m. ET; the following day (Wednesday, Nov. 9) at 2 p.m. ET and again on Saturday, Nov. 12 at 3 p.m. ET (check local listings).

The broadcast will also feature live hits from The Giller Light Bash at Toronto's Steam Whistle Brewery. A fundraiser in support of Frontier College, The Giller Light Bash is the official companion party to the Giller Prize gala, allowing hundreds of others to celebrate literacy as they watch the Scotiabank Giller Prize broadcast on talktv.

"The Gillers are the most esteemed literary awards in Canada," said O'Regan. "It is a privilege for me to celebrate Canadian literary talent and culture as the host of the Giller Prize."

As co-host of the country's most-watched national morning show, Canada AM, O'Regan has interviewed such newsmakers as Prime Minister Paul Martin, U.S. President Bill Clinton, Bishop Desmond Tutu, Celine Dion, William Shatner, Shania Twain and Hugh Grant. Currently, O'Regan is nominated for the Gemini Award for Best Host or Interviewer in a News Information Program or Series.

Originally from St. John's, Newfoundland, O'Regan worked as an assistant to Environment Minister Jean Charest in Ottawa and to Justice Minister Edward Roberts in St. John's, and was policy advisor and speechwriter to the Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, Brian Tobin. In 1999, O'Regan was named one of 100 "Young Canadians to Watch" in the new century by Maclean's Magazine.

The Scotiabank Giller Prize will be broadcast from Toronto's Four Seasons Hotel. The broadcast will feature a number of surprise presenters as well as a host of Canadian celebrities and literary VIPs while acknowledging the finalists' impact and contribution to Canada's cultural heritage.

"As Canadians continue to make their mark on the international arts and entertainment stage, CTV remains committed to celebrating this excellence with the nation," said Susanne Boyce, CTV's President of Programming.

"The Giller Prize is a wonderful addition to our stable of Canadian celebratory television events."

"We're delighted about the move to CTV and the opportunity this affords the prize," said Giller founder Jack Rabinovitch. "Working with CTV enables us to reach a larger audience, and helps increase the recognition of Canadian authors and books."

Now in its 12th year, the Scotiabank Giller Prize was established to honor excellence in Canadian fiction, long format or short stories.

The Prize has so far endowed more than $250,000 to Canadian writers from coast to coast. In the first 10 years of the prize, 2.5 million Giller-nominated books were sold.

To date, more than $60 million in book sales have been generated as a direct result of the prize.