That woman was Beverly Thomson, Canadian journalist and CTV News anchor, who passed away at the age of 61 after a long battle with cancer. She died on Sunday morning, surrounded by her family and friends. She is survived by her husband Rob and their two children, Taylor and Robbie.
She received her diagnosis back in 2002 and from that moment became not only the face of television but also an outspoken advocate—raising funds, leading campaigns, and inspiring others with her courage.
Over more than 30 years, Thomson became one of Canada’s most trusted broadcasters. She interviewed Celine Dion, Shania Twain, Donald Trump, and even astronaut Chris Hadfield while he was aboard the International Space Station.
“Bev Thomson was a trusted voice to Canadians and a valued teammate to all of us at CTV News,” said Richard Gray, vice-president of news at Bell Media.
Born April 15, 1964, she was best known for co-hosting the national morning program Canada AM from 2003 until its conclusion in 2016.
Thomson received numerous awards during her career. In 2019, she was appointed to the Order of Canada, and in October last year she was honored with a lifetime achievement award by the Radio Television Digital News Association of Canada.
She began her career at a small radio station in Newmarket, Ontario. “I thought I’d hit the big time,” she joked during a 2015 TEDx talk. “The station was in a strip mall under a laundromat. I don’t think anyone was listening—except for my dad.”
From there she moved on to a larger Toronto station before joining CTV as a reporter. Her first time behind the anchor desk came unexpectedly when she was asked to fill in for a regular anchor—and that moment launched her long and remarkable television journey.