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Kurt Browning pulls double duty on 'Battle of the Blades'
Skating superstar on potentially becoming Canada's Simon Cowell
| Source: |
TVGuide.ca |
| Date: |
September 20, 2013 |
| Author: |
Amber Dowling |
After taking a year off, Canadian reality show Battle of the Blades is
returning in full force this weekend, with a new and potentially
improved fourth season. That includes another batch of hockey
heavyweights, skating champs, and the return of skating superstar Kurt
Browning in a novel role.
Beginning Sunday, Canadians will not only see Browning in his familiar
gig, skating out to introduce the show alongside Ron MacLean, but he's
also in the judges' seat alongside incoming judges and former
competitors, Jamie Sale and P.J. Stock.
To up the ante, the traditional judging table is also gone, replaced
by a cut-out of sorts where the judges will sit with their skates on,
ready to go.
"If we get inspired to stand up and kind of mimic their motions, we
can," Browning tells TV Guide Canada. "By not putting us up on a desk
there might be more interaction between the players and the judges;
less of a barrier. Now anything can happen - I might be skating for my
life, away from some 230-pound mad guy in figure skates!"
The changes also mean there is no longer an opportunity for a rotating
panel of guest judges (unless one of the three permanent ones can't
make a show for some reason), and sees the exit of Jeremy
Roenick. Former judge Sandra Bezic slides into a mentor role to focus
on her producing duties, and the show cuts from two nights a week to
one combining performances and a super-sized exit.
"I probably will have some skating responsibilities at some point,
depending on the theme or on the length of the show. Sometimes they
tap me on the shoulder and say, 'Get out there and skate,'" Browning
expands. "And there isn't much that happens that Sandra doesn't have a
fingerprint on. So this is allowing her to do that role more
intensely. I think she's excited about getting into the trenches; I
know she's going to be on the ice with the skaters a lot more than she
has before."
As for which judge could fill the traditional Simon Cowell-inspired
seat and draw a hard line when it comes to performances, Browning is
on the fence. While he's quick to rule out Stock because of his humour
and "gift of the gab," he notes that he has had a brother-sister type
of relationship with Sale for years ("we're going to fight for sure!")
and either one of them could be the resident tough guy.
"I've never judged before, but I have commentated, so I assume that
sitting there and passing sort of commentary over skating is a little
bit like judging," Browning says. "In commentating, when I feel they
haven't really respected the competition or if they're just floating
through it, then my teeth come out. I don't think I'll see that from
any of the players, but if I do? Simon Cowell, here I come!"
Battle of the Blades returns Sunday, Sept. 22, at 8 p.m. ET on
CBC.
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