Jonathan Bennett Says Hallmark’s First Reality Competition Series Is Like if Different Reality Shows ‘All Had a Baby and Made It Christmas’ (Exclusive)
Santa isn't the only one coming to town this year—Hallmark's first Mr. Christmas will be making his debut this holiday season.
The search for Hallmark’s next leading man is on in the network's first-ever reality competition series, Finding Mr. Christmas.
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"This show has all the good aspects of all of my favorite reality competition shows," Jonathan Bennett told Parade on the set of the show, which he co-created, executive produced and hosted. "I was on Celebrity Big Brother. I was on Dancing with the Stars. I love RuPaul's Drag Race. So there's so many different shows that I love and watch, and there's kind of like little bits of all of my favorite shows in this show that make it so unique."
Bennett added, "It's almost like if Big Brother and RuPaul's Drag Race and Project Runway and Survivor and The Amazing Race all had a baby and made it Christmas."
The show brought together ten aspiring actors, all vying to take home the title of "Mr. Christmas," with the winner landing a leading role in one of this year’s Countdown to Christmas movies on Hallmark Channel.
"Our cast of 'hunks' are just the most beautiful, heartwarming guys...They're just such good human beings, and they've been so vulnerable on the show and opened up, and have been so willing to just tell their stories and be themselves and be their authentic selves," Bennett said. "And it's so beautiful to watch, and we've just connected with them in ways that I never expected."
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Bennett himself would've liked to have been as vulnerable as the contestants back when he was starting out. "They put themselves out there in ways that I wish I would have put myself out there when I was starting my career," the Mean Girls actor admitted. "If I had started my career this vulnerable and this willing to learn, I think I would have been way successful way faster."
Finding Mr. Christmas debuts on Hallmark+—Hallmark Media's new streaming service and membership program—on Oct. 31. From untangling Christmas lights to ugly Christmas sweater-making, Bennett teased that "viewers can expect a lot of fun, a lot of craziness, the most insane Christmas challenges that you couldn't even dream up, but then they can also expect heart. They can expect to see these guys go through an evolution and grow as people, grow as performers."
The host described the "heartwarming" and "hopeful" program as a reality show that the whole family can watch. "Reality television needed a show like Finding Mr. Christmas because it does a lot of things," Bennett said. "It shows people being vulnerable, but it also demonstrates kindness and support and uplifting each other and taking care of each other and cheering for each other, which is not something a lot of reality shows do."
While the series is sure to get viewers feeling festive this time of year, Bennett has been embracing the holiday spirit since around the Fourth of July. "I think that's a requirement for Hallmark stars. We have to put up our tree July 4th and just be ready to go for Christmas. But I think Finding Mr. Christmas will put everyone in the holiday mood because we have everything from ugly sweater contests to hot cocoa to Christmas talent shows. There's so many things in this series that are going to get people in the holiday mood."
New episodes of Finding Mr. Christmas will be released Thursdays on Hallmark+
Next, Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas 2024 Schedule Is Here