Jay Levine, the creator and longtime producer of groundbreaking Citytv series, Fashion Television (FT), has passed away. He was 69.
Levine was instrumental in the creation of FT in 1985, which went on to air in over 120 countries. He served as a director and supervising producer on the show for 27 years, right through its final season in 2012.
“Incredibly shocked and heartbroken to learn of Jay Levine’s passing,” wrote Fashion Television host and segment producer Jeanne Beker, in a post to Instagram. “Jay was the brilliant creator of our beloved Fashion Television, and was my producer for 27 glorious years at Citytv. We lived an amazing time in fashion history, ran around the world, and did a lot of dreaming and scheming together. I’d lost touch with Jay in recent years, but will always hold him in my heart, reminding me of that exquisite era when we were in the eye of the storm.”
While with Citytv and CTV, he also produced a number of network specials, documentaries and other series, including Channel 4/CTV co-production, Spectacle: Elvis Costello with…; and UK factual docuseries, The Art of Architecture. He also served as a producer on 2002 arts documentary Naked in the House, which won a Gemini Award. He started his career at CityPulse News, including time spent serving as assignment editor.
Former Citytv videographer Patrick Reynolds wrote in a tribute that he’ll remember Levine as a “talented, thoughtful and genuinely gracious individual.”
“I spent much of my professional career at the legendary CHUM City Building at 299 Queen Street West, and had the privilege of being around Jay and witnessing the quiet brilliance he brought to the workplace. Fashion Television was one of the most iconic productions to come out of that building, but what I remember most was Jay himself — thoughtful, witty, opinionated, sophisticated and always unassuming. He had a calm presence and a way of leading without needing to make a show of it. Jay was part of what made the Citytv brand so distinctive and special in those early years. I’ll always be grateful for the memories and for having had the opportunity to cross paths with him during such an important chapter of my career.”
