Great Chocolate Showdown: Season Four of Cooking Competition Picked Up by The CW

(Photo: Daniel Hewett / The CW)

The CW has a sweet deal for American viewers. Great Chocolate Showdown has been picked up for a fourth season on the smallest broadcast network. The series originates on Food Network in Canada.

A cooking competition series, the Great Chocolate Showdown TV show is judged by Steven Hodge, Anna Olson, and Cynthia Stroud. An ooey-gooey, decadent dessert series, this program features 10 home bakers going head-to-head in the indulgent world of chocolate. They’re vying for the grand prize in a range of creative chocolate-based challenges. To avoid elimination, the chocaholic dessert-makers must dazzle the panel of world-renowned chocolatiers and food expert judges with their delicious, inventive creations. In the end, three bakers take on the biggest chocolate challenge of their lives, but only one is crowned “Great Chocolate Showdown Champion” and wins the grand prize of $50,000.

Airing on Thursday nights last fall, the second season of Great Chocolate Showdown averaged a 0.05 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 345,000 viewers in the live+same day ratings (includes all DVR playback through 3:00 AM). Compared to season one, that’s down by 13% in the demo and down by 23% in viewership. In the live+7 day ratings, the audience grew by over 20% thanks to delayed viewing.

Now that The CW is primarily owned by Nexstar, the network is focusing on airing inexpensive programming — primarily unscripted and acquired series. Management has said the goal is for the network to become profitable by 2025.

Two seasons of Great Chocolate Showdown have aired on The CW network, while a third season was released on The CW app only.  The fourth season will air on The CW sometime this summer, but a specific date has yet to be announced.

What do you think? Have you enjoyed the Great Chocolate Showdown TV show on The CW? Are you glad to hear that season four will air in the United States?