You know you’re part of the cultural fabric when Hollywood — okay, Bell Fibe — comes calling
There’s a moment in the new Bell Fibe TV1 comedy series I’m Also Here where a familiar name gets dropped: ours!
For a locally-owned publication, that’s not just a fun Easter egg. It’s a genuine milestone.
I’m Also Here is a six-episode anthology comedy series that premiered February 12th on Bell Fibe TV1, and it’s already generating buzz. Each episode is set in a different Ontario town (Lindsay, Bobcaygeon, Brockville, Cobourg, Arnprior, and yes, Cornwall) and tells a self-contained story grounded in the real character of that community. The series is narrated by Kathryn Greenwood (Whose Line Is It Anyway?) and features beloved Canadian comedy veterans including Robin Duke (SNL, SCTV, Schitt’s Creek) and Lisa Codrington (Letterkenny, Children Ruin Everything).
The Cornwall episode of I’m Also Here was written by Robin Duke herself, and she went out of her way to weave authentic local details into the script, including a reference to The Cornwall Seeker. Imagine the surprise when we found out, on February 11th, merely hours before the premiere, that we were mentioned in the episode about Cornwall.
We reached out to Robin to find out how that happened.
“I was trying to utilize as many details as possible about Cornwall,” she told us. Her process involved researching the community and leaning into what made it distinct: its support for seniors, its character, its local institutions. The Seeker fit the bill. “The sound, the rhythm, not to mention it ties in with the themes,” she said of the choice.
Those themes? Legacy, community, and the art of making things together. “I think it was about women gathering, sharing ideas, being creative, and making things,” Robin explained. “Crafting, it’s a dying art. Also, about recycling.”
When we mentioned that The Cornwall Seeker is owned and operated by two women, Robin’s reaction was immediate: “I did not know that, but now that I know, I’m thrilled!”
Robin’s connection to smaller Ontario cities runs deep. As a touring member of the comedy group Women Fully Clothed, she has long championed communities that don’t always get the spotlight. “It’s important to me to celebrate smaller cities and towns,” she said. That philosophy is baked right into the DNA of I’m Also Here.
The series was built with real intention behind it. Produced by Firecracker Department and C’mon Mort Productions, I’m Also Here was created entirely by women and non-binary creatives, writers, directors, cast, and crew. Producer Ashleigh Rains told us the goal was always bigger than just making a TV show. “We wanted to create a series that reflects our community while amplifying women and non-binary creatives,” she said. “In the screen sector, we remain underrepresented in key creative positions, and as companies, we feel a responsibility to use our platforms to help address that gap.”
Choosing Cornwall as one of the six settings wasn’t accidental either. Rains and her co-producers actually hit the road before a single frame was shot. “Naomi, Naiyelli, and I went on a road trip to explore the towns before filming,” she explained. “We love the charm and the people in Cornwall. There were so many interesting and fun facts about that community, it made for an easy setting for the episode.” Those on-the-ground visits weren’t just scouting trips, they shaped the storytelling itself. “We travelled to the communities and met with locals,” Rains said. “Those conversations directly informed both the writing and the production process. Authenticity was never an afterthought, it was intentional from day one.”
The production also brought a strong mentorship component, pairing emerging creatives with established ones throughout filming. It’s something close to Rains’ heart. “I’ve grown as a producer because women shared their time, knowledge, and expertise with me,” she said. She pointed to co-producer Naiyelli as a perfect example of that philosophy in action. The two first met through the Women in Film mentorship program, where Naiyelli was paired with Rains as a mentee. “A few years later, she’s one of my favourite producers to collaborate with. We’ve now worked on four projects together.” The mentorship wasn’t a side program, it was woven into the production itself, with mentees who had personal connections to each town helping ensure the research felt genuinely rooted in each community.
Making the show was no small feat logistically. With six directors, four directors of photography, four writers, and a skeleton crew, the team filmed each episode in a single day, in a single location, then packed up and moved to the next town. “This is not how television is typically made,” Rains acknowledged. “We had to strip away many of the comforts of traditional production and focus on the essentials.” But once the creative team found its footing, she says, something clicked. “Defining the sandbox we could play in was initially challenging, but once we aligned creatively, the process was joyful.”
She credited Robin Duke with bringing Cornwall’s warmth and humor to the page. “She had us in stitches from day one in the writers room,” Rains said, and the episode reflects that energy.
The one quirky visual thread tying all six episodes together? A plastic bag. It appears somewhere in the background of every episode, a playful connective motif that traces back to the show’s original working title, Bagged. Keep an eye out for it.
As for what success looks like going forward, Rains is hopeful. “We would love to share this project widely. The hope is to do a festival run and then secure broader distribution.” Early audience response has already been encouraging. “If we can make someone laugh or spark joy, that’s success. That’s the dream.”
You can watch a clip from the series below
For Cornwall, this is a moment worth savoring. A nationally broadcast comedy series, staffed by some of Canada’s finest comic talent, looked at our city and saw something worth celebrating: our people, our culture, our community institutions. And tucked right in there, The Cornwall Seeker.
We’ll take it.
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