New CBC lineup includes Samantha Bee scripted comedy, P.K. Subban hockey drama

TORONTO –  

CBC’s new TV lineup includes a workplace comedy starring Samantha Bee, a medical drama headed by former “90210” actress Kathleen Robertson and a coming-of-age hockey series inspired by P.K. Subban.  

The public broadcaster announced its programming slate for the 2026-27 television season with several familiar faces, including Bee.

It marks the first project the Toronto native has headlined since “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee” went off the air in 2022. 

A CBC press release says the show is called “The Ambassador” and Bee plays an actor turned diplomat in Bulgaria working inside an embassy to uncover new business opportunities for Canada. Her best friend is played by Allana Harkin, who also worked as a producer and correspondent on “Full Frontal.”

Meanwhile, Robertson is set to executive produce and star in “Blessed Sacrament,” a drama that mixes sibling rivalry with medical cases as it involves three sisters who work in a hospital run by their mother.

Sally Catto, general manager of entertainment, factual and sports, said in a phone interview that the comedy offerings are something of a departure for the public broadcaster.

“I think in the past we have focused very much on family comedies,” she said. “What you’re seeing now is really an expansion of that. We’re going to be embracing a variety of comedic storytelling (including) the workplace comedy.”

CBC is also taking its own shot at a hockey-related drama series with “Junior,” an eight-part series it says is inspired by Subban’s experiences. 

The former NHL all-star is attached as executive producer, teaming up with award-winning filmmaker Clement Virgo to tell the story of a 16-year-old Black hockey player trying to make it to the NHL. 

Subban previously executive produced “Black Life: Untold Stories,” and “RIVALS: The 4 Nations Face-Off.”

Also in hockey-related content, CBC says it’s debuting “Power Play,” a five-part behind-the-scenes documentary series about the rise of the Professional Women’s Hockey League, telling the stories of the stars on and off the ice. 

And there’s “Barnburners,” which is a docuseries about a league of senior players in southeastern Saskatchewan who are out to prove hockey isn’t just a young man’s game. 

CBC’s new comedy slate also includes Canada/U.K co-production “Committed,” starring Yellowknife-born Dustin Milligan, whose character travels to Northern Ireland as a grand gesture after falling in love with a woman who’s from there. 

Meanwhile, “Snow King: From Olympian to Narco” showcases the Toronto Star and Rolling Stone’s investigative reporting into the former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding, who became one of the FBI’s 10 most wanted fugitives, accused of running a drug trafficking empire.

Among the shows that will not be returning is the menopause comedy series “Small Achievable Goals” with Meredith MacNeill and Jennifer Whalen, which ran for two seasons. 

Catto said the broadcaster felt it was time to move on from the show.

“It was focused on a very specific subject matter, which I think they explored beautifully,” she said. 

“Series today don’t have to last multiple years. You can have limited series, you can have shorter runs. We’re kind of looking at what do we need to tell this story to our satisfaction and to audience satisfaction.”

CBC also confirmed the food series “Locals Welcome” with host Suresh Doss is not coming back. 

Shows that are returning include “North of North,” the final season of “Son of a Critch,” “Dragons’ Den,” “Must Love Dogs,” the sketch comedy staple “This Hour Has 22 Minutes,” and mainstays “Heartland” and “Murdoch Mysteries,” which both mark their 20th seasons this fall.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 26, 2026.

-with files from Nicole Thompson.