Sad to hear that Beverly Thomson has passed away at the age of 61. The veteran news anchor and Order of Canada recipient began her career as a local reporter at CFTO in Toronto. In 1997 she was recruited to the national desk at Global News. In 2003, CTV wanted her to replace Lisa LaFlamme as co-anchor Canada AM which led to a tug of war for her services. CTV won, and she remained at the morning show until it was shut down in 2016.
At that point, Thomson became a steady presence behind the CTV News Channel desk. Her passing comes after many years of coping with cancer.
She was not only a sunny, engaged professional for viewers but also for guests. On occasions when I was asked to talk TV trends on Canada AM as well as later on the CTV News Channel, Beverly was always welcoming. Anchoring news is a stressful gig with producers constantly in your ear and floor directors and segment producers setting up the next clip. Beverly always found a few precious seconds to greet guests with a smile and as much professional courtesy as time would allow.
That continued into your segment, when you would have a conversation, not just an interview. No wonder viewers loved Bev, she brought them to the table and made the audience feel at home. That was especially true at Canada AM, where the family feel was also part of each day’s routine for Jeff Hutcheson, Marci Ien and Seamus O’Regan.
I like to think a little of that courtesy rubbed off on me as I pivoted towards podcasting. Beverly Thomson set an example for reporting and professionalism but also for broadcasting in the moment, live, in a way that was a felt connection. That she continued to do so while coping with cancer speaks to her dedication as well as her generous spirit. Thomson also found time to advocate for others as official spokesperson for the Ontario branch of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.
Condolences to her family, friends and viewers.
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