The Discovery Channel is bringing a taste of northern life into homes across Canada in a new reality television show.

Out in the Cold takes host Barry Kennedy, an actor by trade and former fighter pilot with the Air Force, across Canada's North.

The series includes a few adventures in the Yukon, but also takes him to northern Quebec and Ontario before he finishes in Newfoundland.

The series will premire on the Discovery Channel at 7 p.m. Saturday. An official Yukon launch will be held Jan. 12 at the Yukon Convention Centre.

The Discovery Channel website touts the show as 'a journey across Canada to experience a world few ever see and meet the people who tackle the extreme elements with enthusiasm on a daily basis.'

In the series, the host visits local bush pilot Gerd Mannsperger, with the show teasing an adventure about a man whose job includes 'delivering critical supplies to remote areas to picking up an injured sled dog on the Yukon Quest trail.'

Later episodes feature a visit to MukTuk kennels in Whitehorse, and a day alongside wildlife veterinarian Dr. Michelle Oakley in Haines Junction. She performs a prenatal bison exam and an outdoor autopsy in the cold during the episode.

The idea came about in Banff, Alta., at a Canadian film and television conference, Andrea Hazard, a production assistant with Real to Reel Productions in Toronto, said Wednesday.

Her boss, Anne Pick, met Yukon filmmaker Tookie Mercredi, and the two got to talking about ideas for a show.

'They wanted to do some kind of Yukon-Ontario project,' said Hazard. 'And they came up with this idea.'

'Anne brought me out to the hallway and asked if I was serious about this,' said Mercredi. 'I said of course I was.'

Mercredi said they formed a partnership and informally pitched the idea to Discovery Channel representatives at the conference, who said the idea sounded great.

'It took a year to be able to get going,' said Mercredi. Filming began in December 2006 and continued through the winter.

Hazard said the appeal is in the extreme lengths some people go to to do their jobs in such cold environments.

'To some degree, yeah, it's Canada, and yeah, we all get cold, but it's different in the North.

'I personally hate the cold, and am very happy to sit on my couch with my hot chocolate in hand and watch other people go out in the cold,' she said with a laugh.

Hazard said the idea was formally pitched to staff at the Canadian office of the Discovery Channel, and they loved it, even though the show still hadn't secured a host.

'We held auditions and saw people from across the country,' said Hazard. 'There were some great people, but we knew we hadn't really found the right person.

'The host has to be quick on their feet and really willing to get their hands dirty. The show is really very off the cuff, so we needed someone who could handle that.'

After fruitless auditions, a camera man suggested his old friend, Kennedy. Hazard said they got in touch, gave him a screen test, and he was perfect for the job.

Once the producers secured Kennedy, they returned to Discovery, who picked the top six story ideas to turn into half-hour episodes.

The total production budget was about $1.3 million, said Mercredi, which works out to about $200,000 per episode. Much of that was funded through Yukon government grants.

Mercredi said half the crew was from the Yukon, which made working in cold climates a piece of cake.

'This is our playground. We know how to dress and we don't get worried about working in the cold,' he said. 'We didn't have to worry about anyone being cold wussies.'

After filming, editing was done in Toronto, where Mercredi said there are better tax breaks for editing work.

With the work finished, everyone who helped bring the show to life now awaits its debut this Saturday. Once numbers reflecting audience sizes are in, the Discovery Channel will decide the show's future.

'Now we're waiting for them to see if they want to go ahead with a second season, and if they do, we'll have to move quick with filming!'

Hazard said staff from Real to Reel and the Discovery Channel will be heading to Whitehorse next week for the launch.

'It's a way to say thank you to everyone up here who had such a big role,' said Hazard.

Residents are invited to attend the launch at 7 p.m.