Alliance Atlantis will next year tear down and rebuild one of its cornerstone channels when its Life Network is relaunched in March as Slice, a "guilty pleasure" lifestyle channel aimed at women aged 18-49.

"We spoke to women about what they want from a TV channel and heard loud and clear that they are craving confident, irreverent programming," said Gail Rivett, SVP of marketing and publicity at AAC, in a statement. "From train wrecks and catfights to group dynamics spiraling out of control and underdogs coming out on top."

The change puts the channel in more direct competition with the female-aimed W Network, owned by Corus Entertainment.

Fifteen new shows will debut on the specialty channel in March, including acquisitions Beauty and the Geek, exec produced by Ashton Kutcher, and Project Catwalk, the U.K. version of Project Runway hosted by Kelly Osbourne. Original programming will include the advice show Outlaw InLaws by Media Headquarters, the hairstyling series UpRooted by JV Productions and The Last 10 Pounds Bootcamp, a weight-loss show by The Eyes.

Twenty other programs will follow in the fall, including a primetime series to be hosted by Liza Fromer, formerly a morning show host on Citytv Toronto. The untitled show comes from Cineflix and is part of a multi-year deal with the newly branded channel.

The channel launched in 1995 and currently reaches about six million households.

www.lifenetwork.ca