Mike Holmes, Canadian host of Holmes on Homes who is shown in Ottawa in 2007, will be bringing his skills to New Orleans in a documentary special on Global. (Jonathan Hayward/Canadian Press) Three new series with Canadian content, including The Animated Adventures of Bob and Doug McKenzie, highlight Global Television's fall lineup announced Wednesday.

Global, owned by CanWest, is also premiering Cold Blood, a factual series that recreates murder investigations, and Howie Do It, a sketch comedy and TV prank show hosted by comedian Howie Mandel.

Both are co-productions — Howie Do It will be simulcast with NBC, and Cold Blood is being created with U.K. and U.S. producers.

Barbara Williams, executive vice-president of content at Canwest Broadcasting, which owns Global, called the new programming "both diverse and distinctively Canadian."

The animated McKenzie brothers series is being produced by Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis, the original Bob and Doug McKenzie, and Mandel, a Canadian comedian and host of game show Deal or No Deal, is lead comic in Howie Do It.

Global's primetime lineup is mostly returning U.S. shows, including Boston Legal, American Dad, Brothers and Sisters, and House.

It also announced new U.S. shows like 90210, a spinoff of the 1990s teen hit, spy drama My Own Worst Enemy starring Christian Slater, Life on Mars and Dollhouse, a futuristic drama headlined by Eliza Dushku.

Other Canadian co-productions on Global include:

• Make It Right: New Orleans: Fixer-upper Mike Holmes of Holmes on Homes and his crew work in the lower ninth quarter of flood-ravaged New Orleans in a two-hour documentary special.
• Project Runway Canada: the second season of the reality TV show offering aspiring designers a chance to break into the fashion industry. The first season ran on Slice.
• The Last Templar:A two-hour drama based on the Raymond Khoury novel about the lost secrets of the Knights Templar.
• XIII: A four-hour political thriller, aired over two nights, about a man suffering from amnesia who is accused of assassinating the U.S. president.
• 16:9: A 30-minute news information series that includes profiles of exemplary Canadians and items on international issues.

Global is bringing back the coast guard rescue series The Guard, the comedy 'Da Kink in My Hair and the teen series The Best Years for a second season.

Holmes talks homes with Pitt

At the Toronto launch on Wednesday, Holmes said he offered to construct one of five environmentally friendly homes that actor Brad Pitt's charitable organization is building in New Orleans.

"We started corresponding with each other and I said: 'Brad, why don't we come down there and build the first house and we won't even charge you,"' he said.

Holmes added he's hoping Pitt, and perhaps partner Angelina Jolie, might drop by to inspect the work.

"I'm sure there will be a surprise visit — Angelina would be nice to drop by, and put on a tool belt one day," he said.

The show will air on HGTV as well as Global.

Canwest also announced fall-winter programming for History Television, Showcase, E! network and several lifestyle channels.

Premiering on E! are:

• Instant Beauty Pageant: A reality TV show in which ordinary women are ambushed while shopping and asked to prepare for a beauty pageant.
• Producing Parker: A 30-minute animated series that parodies daytime talk shows.
• True Hollywood Story Canada: An entertainment "news" show.

E! also will air new U.S. shows such as Knight Rider, with Val Kilmer as the voice of KITT, comedy Do Not Disturb and Worst Week, about a man trying to win over his in-laws.

New series on History Television include:

• Battlefield Mysteries: A documentary series that investigates stories behind significant battles.
• Blowdown: A documentary about a family of demolition experts that travels the world blowing down structures.
• Outlaw Bikers: A five-episode documentary series about outlaw motorcycle clubs.

Showcase will have the new series The Foundation, about the inner workings of a dysfunctional charity starring Mike Wilmot of It's All Gone Pete Tong, and The Food Network will have Chef Abroad, in which host Michael Smith travels the world to highlight new cooking styles and recipes.