CBC Calgary announced that CALGARY EYEOPENER host David Gray is retiring from his career at CBC after 33 years. Gray’s final day on air will be Thursday, June 30.
Gray started his career with The National in Toronto before taking on a reporter job in his hometown, Calgary, in 1990. He then moved to Edmonton to become a legislature bureau chief two years later and then moved back to Toronto to take a national reporting gig with the CBC business show Venture.
“It was a great gig. I lived on an airplane, told stories from every Canadian province and two of three territories, and somehow got married and started a family along the way.”
When Gray and his wife Kim had their second child, they decided to move back to Calgary at which point he began his hosting career with the first five years spent on Newsworld.
“It's where I really developed my interviewing chops, learning from Kathleen Petty, the late Henry Champ and other veterans of the game. Michael Enright gave me the best bit of advice, ‘the second question is always found in the first answer.’ He was right. It's a listening job most of all.”
In 2008, Gray was given the opportunity to host CBC Calgary’s afternoon show THE HOMESTRETCH. Two years later, the CALGARY EYEOPENER hosting role opened and Gray has now spent nearly the past dozen years hosting alongside his colleague Angela Knight.
“I've spent time on other shows (As it Happens, Sunday Edition, Cross Country Checkup) but the Eyeopener has always been where I feel I most belong.”
Gray has won a variety of national and international awards for his work, including gold medals at the New York Festival of Festivals for best international documentary.
“Excited as we are that David is writing a new chapter for himself, our audience and his colleagues will really miss his daily presence in our lives,” says Senior Director of Journalism and Programming Helen Henderson. “Over more than a decade on the Eyeoepener, his wonderful sense of humour, his amazing rapport with Angela Knight, and his unparalleled ability to firmly, yet respectfully hold power to account have made our show a 'must listen' destination for Calgarians.”
Gray will have his final day on air on Thursday, June 30 at which point he will be retiring from CBC.
“So why am I leaving the Eyeopener at the end of this month? Well, some sleep would be nice. I just know it's time for me to do something else. And no, I don't really know what that will be, but I look forward to finding out. I am retiring, for now, heading off in search of new adventures.”
CALGARY EYEOPENER can be heard weekdays from 6:00 to 8:30 a.m. on CBC Radio One and on CBC Listen. The show sets the agenda for the day, asking the questions that need to be answered and bringing compelling local stories to Calgarians.
CBC Radio One Calgary: 99.1 FM
CBC Radio One Edmonton: 93.9 FM
cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-5-calgary-eyeopener
About CBC/Radio-Canada:
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada’s trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. We also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi and Tagalog, as well as both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.
For further information, please contact:
Madelaine Lapointe
Senior Communications Officer, CBC Calgary
403-477-6241
Will Tigley
Manager, Communications, Marketing & Brand, CBC Calgary
403-462-5945
