'Reality' creeps into Sisters with film crew

It was all very hush-hush - but now they're talking.

In secret, late-night sessions back in September, Comcast SportsNet was in town filming scenes inside Sisters Coffee Company for an upcoming TV series titled, "WANTED: Adventure Host."

The reality show, set to debut this spring, pits contestants against Mother Nature and each other in an array of challenges and contests in the rugged wilds of the Northwest, all to decide who will become the next great adventure host of a new Comcast SportsNet program featuring outdoor lifestyles and activities.

Candidates who don't win enough support from voting viewers and a panel of judges will be eliminated from the competition.

"We were looking for a beautiful, rustic cabin location for our end-of-day elimination headquarters. The Durham family, owners of Sisters Coffee, was so nice and a pleasure to work with," said sales and marketing coordinator, Jaimee Bremner. "We loved Sisters, everyone was very helpful. We're so excited for this series."

"There was a 30-person crew and two steel trusses hanging over the interior, set with 20 lights. We filmed for two weeks with six to seven cameras each day, mostly at night after hours," explained executive producer, David Kamens.

Ken Lotka, director of programming, said the show is a wild adventure ride and anyone with a lust for the outdoors is going to really be interested.

Comcast SportsNet took applications last summer for wannabe hosts of the new series, that will include hiking, biking, camping, kayaking, fishing, climbing, survival skills and more.

They were looking for entrants who are comfortable, confident and knowledgeable in and about the outdoors, who have a spirit of adventure and who have a desire to host their own television show.

Everyone was welcome to apply for the host position regardless of outdoor experience. Applicants were required to apply online and submit a photo and 2- to 3- minute demo DVD. More than 600 applications were eventually received and processed.

"It's going to showcase the beauty of the Pacific Northwest and we hope to not only attract the typical 18-50 male demographics, but also try and get some female eyeballs as well," said Bremner. "We want to thank everyone in Sisters for their hospitality. We had a great time. Makes me wonder why I'm living in Portland."

Comcast SportsNet is the 24/7 home of Northwest sports featuring the Portland Trailblazers, Oregon Ducks, NHL coverage, in-depth regional college coverage and outdoor programming. "WANTED: Adventure Host" will premiere Monday, March 1, at 8 p.m..