Ben Mulroney, who has anchored CTV entertainment magazine etalk for the last 18 years, announced today he’ll be stepping away from the nightly show to “create space for a new perspective or a new voice.”
A message from Ben. pic.twitter.com/sj8zieZboN
— Your Morning (@YourMorning) June 22, 2020
Mulroney, who made the announcement on CTV Your Morning, started out by acknowledging “the situation surrounding my wife Jessica.” CTV parent company Bell Media cut ties with Jessica Mulroney more than a week ago after Black social media influencer and blogger Sasha Exeter revealed that the fashion stylist and I Do, Redo host had threatened to tarnish her reputation with consumer brands she works with, following an online disagreement around the Black Lives Matter movement. Bell Media has since canceled Mulroney’s series, with Rogers’ Cityline and Hudson’s Bay Company also severing their connections.
“I love my wife, however it is not my place to speak for her,” said Mulroney. “And today, together, we’re committed to doing the work to both learn and understand about anti-black racism as well as learn and understand more about our blind spots.”
“So, what does this mean for me? It means acknowledging here, today, that my privilege has benefitted me greatly,” said Mulroney, the son of former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney.
“Last Saturday, I watched on CTV as my colleagues led a national conversation on how we can take action against systemic racism and that conversation showed me, more than ever, we need more Black voices, more Indigenous voices, more people of colour in the media, as well as every other profession. And that is why I’ve decided to immediately step away from my role as anchor at etalk to create space for a new perspective and a new voice.”
Mulroney indicated that while he’ll no longer anchor etalk, he’ll continue to contribute to the show, hosting red carpets and taking on other special projects for Bell Media, in addition to his co-hosting duties on Your Morning.
“We’re proud of Ben for his decision,” said Nanci MacLean, Vice-President, Bell Media Studios and President, Pinewood Toronto Studios, in a statement. “Ben has played an integral role in the success of etalk, acting as a tireless champion of Canadian artists and productions.”
“As part of Bell Media’s Content Diversity Task Force, Bell Media Studios is committed to diversity in front of and behind the camera,” continued MacLean. “We will now begin the process of confirming a new anchor at etalk in the next few weeks.”
Mulroney has been with etalk since the show’s inception in 2002. He started his career with Bell Media in 2000 as Québec City correspondent for the now defunct talktv and then moved into the role of entertainment reporter for Canada AM in 2001. Along the way, he also hosted six seasons of Canadian Idol, before joining Your Morning in 2016.
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