Emotional Marilyn Denis says goodbye after 40 years at CHUM 104.5
· Toronto Sun
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Canadian broadcast legend Marilyn Denis said farewell to listeners Friday morning after 40 years hosting the morning show on CHUM 104.5.
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“It’s time for me to say goodbye,” Denis said during her final broadcast . “I can’t believe I’m saying this. I wrote everything down because I wanted to make sure I didn’t forget a thing.”
Denis called it “a privilege” to host the program, which she joined in 1986 alongside Roger Ashby.
She thanked her girlfriends and her family in Toronto, Western Canada and the U.S. for “cheering me on.”
Denis went on to pay tribute to “the incredible teams that are behind the scenes” for making it possible to do what she loves every day.
She also thanked Bell Media for “an elegant and generous exit and for trusting me with this morning show for all these years.”
Fighting back tears, Denis said she will “always be proud to say that I worked at CHUM.”
The three-time Gemini Award winner then acknowledged CHUM listeners.
“To you, the CHUM listening family — from the kids who fell asleep with their transistor radio under the pillow, to everyone who has us on in the car, the kitchen or streaming on their phones right now — you’ve always been the heartbeat of this station,” she said.
Denis closed her goodbye by taking one last a trip down memory lane as she reflected on her job interview to work at CHUM FM when it was located at 1331 Yonge Street.
“What a big day that was,” she said. “I was in the back of a cab and this song came on the radio and I remember thinking, ‘I’m never going to forget this song, where I was, how I felt.’ And the title of the song will say it all … This is Mike and the Mechanics, All I Need is a Miracle . It’s been just that. Thank you so much, everybody.”
Tributes poured in as Denis finale neared
During her last month on the air, many of Denis’ longtime celebrity pals called in to celebrate the longtime radio personality, including Michael Buble, Jann Arden, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Donnie Wahlberg and more.
On social media, other notable names from the world of Canadian media paid tribute, including Fashion Television’s Jeanne Beker, who called Denis’ sign off “perfect.”
“I’m signing us up for pottery classes,” Beker joked. “Who needs a new ashtray?”
Glass Tiger’s Alan Frew and HGTV host Bryan Baeumler called her “legendary,” while comedian Gerry Dee thanked Denis for giving him his first interview.
“My first radio interview was with you, Roger and Rick. You had me on so many times after,” he wrote. “You were always so kind. ALWAYS!!! Thank you.”
Lengthy career began with a stint in Idaho
Born in Edmonton, Denis got her career start at KRPL in Moscow, Idaho, where she became the first female DJ in 1976. She then moved to Calgary where she held various radio and television positions including programmer, music director, and traffic reporter. Denis also freelanced for TSN.
She became a staple to people waking up in Toronto when she successfully auditioned to become Roger Ashby’s co-host at CHUM 104.5 in 1986. It was a creative partnership that helped turn Denis into one of Toronto’s most recognizable media personalities.
When Ashby retired in 2018, he praised Denis for helping make CHUM’s Morning Show such a success.
“It’s easy to get up early every morning when you love your job and the people you work with,” Ashby said at the time. “Of course, I couldn’t have done it without the amazing Marilyn Denis. From the first moment we met, I knew she was the right person to spend my mornings with. And our success over the decades would not have happened without the dedication of our longtime listeners.”
Ashby returned for Denis’ final show and said their chemistry was instantaneous.
“You and I knew almost instantly … I knew I did … that you were the one,” he said.
Ashby and Denis hosted the program together for over 30 years and were joined by various co-hosts during their run, including Rick Hodge and Darren B. Lamb.
After Ashby left, Denis teamed up with Jamar McNeil and the broadcast was rebranded as Marilyn Denis and Jamar .
Following McNeil’s departure in 2024, when he exited to co-host the afternoon drive home program with Josie Dye, Denis was joined by David Corey and the show was rebranded once again as The Marilyn Denis Show .
A groundbreaking figure in Canadian broadcasting, Denis ended her four-time Canadian Screen Award-winning TV program The Marilyn Denis Show in 2023 after 13 seasons. The announcement capped a 34-year career in daytime television. Prior to that program, Denis hosted Cityline for 19 years from 1989 to 2008.
Denis’ morning show will be replaced by Nat & Josie, hosted by longtime radio personalities Nat Hunter and Josie Dye.
“If there was ever a job worth waiting to come home for, it’s this one,” said Hunter, who hosted a morning program in Vancouver. “It’s an incredible honour to follow the legend that is Marilyn Denis.”
Dye called the gig “something I have dreamed of for a very long time.”
“Waking up with Toronto is the most surreal feeling in the world, and doing it with Nat will be epic. It’s been such a fun experience connecting with CHUM 104.5 listeners over the past few years, and I’m so excited to help create the station’s new morning show,” she said.
Nat & Josie will debut on July 6.