Melissa Peterman, Jonathan Bennett, and Ben Roy Talk ‘Finding Mr. Christmas’ and the Importance of Respect in Reality TV

It’s not often that the words reality TV, brotherhood, and respect are paired together, but they perfectly encapsulate Hallmark’s festive reality series, Finding Mr. Christmas.

We recently had the opportunity to chat with the creatives behind the series during the ATX Television Festival.

Joining together to discuss all things Finding Mr. Christmas were Ben Roy, Jonathan Bennett, and Melissa Peterman, along with contestants Blake Kelley and Jonathan Wells, to break down everything from the series’ conception to the upcoming brand-new season. (You can watch the full interview below.)

Finding Mr. Christmas features ten men as they face a series of festive challenges to showcase their acting abilities and earn the title of Hallmark’s next leading man.

Serving as co-creators, Bennett and Roy explained how the project was both eye-opening and a bit scary when they began. After all, they were working to create a first for reality TV competition shows, so pushback was to be expected.

“This wasn’t coming from Hallmark, but at the beginning, when we would talk about the show, we would always hear back, ‘Well, that’s gonna be boring. How are you gonna do a show where these guys are all competing, but they’re being nice to each other? Where’s the villain? Where’s all that?’ We knew if we were authentic to Hallmark that we could pull it off and do it,” Roy said.

Bennett said that having the men be uplifting, gracious, and friendly toward one another is the foundation of the series.

Instead of an environment where contestants are pitted against one another, manipulated to cause drama, or encouraged to make bad choices, Finding Mr. Christmas was always meant to be a place where the men can be themselves and vulnerable.

“There’s no gotcha moments,” Bennett said. “This cast is gonna walk in, and these contestants are going to feel so safe from the moment they walk in to the moment they leave.”

“One of my favorite shows is RuPaul’s Drag Race,” Bennett continued. “This season, they have people being mean, and just that little bit of meanness on the show makes my stomach hurt. Are we not above being mean to each other on television? Like, why are we still doing this? It doesn’t make sense.”

Peterman takes on the role of Lead Judge, a position Bennett knew he wanted her for since the inception of the idea, and one she says she was willing to wait for.

“I remember just trusting that it was going to happen,” Peterman said. “It wasn’t a week later or even a year later; it was a long time. I just trusted because, you know, the sheer force of will that is behind these men [Bennett and Roy], and I knew it would happen.”

Despite her numerous past roles as an actress and host, the most exciting aspect for Peterman is the opportunity to utilize her experience in the entertainment industry to help craft new actors hoping to enter the world.

“My job was really just to be truly myself and to judge in a way that was constructive. I could give them actual advice about the business. Like what it feels like when you have one take and it isn’t your favorite,” she said. “Sometimes, that’s what it is, and you have to live with that and be prepared.”

Watch the full interview with the creatives and contestants from Finding Mr. Christmas:

“It was really fun for me because I just got to be the co-pilot,” Peterman continued. “I was so invested in these guys. I wanted to help them so much. I really did feel like their aunt. I feel really grateful; it’s the best gig out there.”

During Finding Mr. Christmas Season 1 Episode 7, “A Christmas Waltz,” the contestants are surprised with guests from their real life in one of the series’ most heartwarming moments.

It’s a moment Peterman says she will never forget.

“It was just another opportunity for me to cry,” Peterman laughed. “And it was special because I think we really surprised them. They had no idea. So, that was one of my favorites.”

For Roy, his favorite moment of the first season was on Finding Mr. Christmas Season 1 Episode 1, “The Hunt For Mr. Christmas,” when the contestants made their grand entrances.

“When they walk in the door, these guys look so good on camera, and they’re so happy,” Roy said. “This had been in our brain for over two years, and we’ve worked so hard to get there. When we saw them walk in the front door, we just said, ‘Oh, my God, this is happening.’ That was a truly magical moment.”

Bennett, on the other hand, takes pride in the environment fostered on set and how, no matter how difficult things got, everyone remained exceedingly friendly to one another.

“I’m so proud that we made a show that is a reality competition show where guys are competing while they’re still lifting each other up,” Bennett said. “That is not seen on any other reality competition show. That’s why I hope people are thinking of this when they’re doing their Emmy voting.”

“We did something that’s different,” Bennett continued. “We have grown masculine men crying on national television, talking about their fears and things that scare them. Plus, they’re doing it in a safe environment that inspires conversations in the living rooms of people watching. We created a safe space, not only for the guys but for America, to open up and talk about mental health. It’s so powerful.”

Teasing Season 2, Bennett and Roy said the new batch of guys will be even more fun, and fans can expect to see some familiar Hallmark faces making guest appearances.

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Finding Mr. Christmas Season 2 will premiere later this year on Hallmark.

Check out all of our coverage of the ATX Television Festival right here.

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