The next chapter: CTV News Ottawa's Leanne Cusack and Joel Haslam sign off
CTV
Legendary broadcasters Leanne Cusack and Joel Haslam signed off from CTV News Ottawa for the last time Friday.
Legendary broadcasters Leanne Cusack and Joel Haslam signed off from CTV News Ottawa for the last time Friday.
The pair made the choice to retire from a lifetime of broadcasting to pursue new adventures.
Photo: Ron White (News at Noon guest), Leanne Cusack (CTV News at Noon host), Jim O'Grady (Camera/Editor)
Leanne Cusack and the News at Noon are synonymous. For 34 years, she's made live television look effortless.
"There could be so many catastrophes going on even with my segments and she'd be like 'it's ok, don't worry about it' just can roll with whatever's happening," said long-time contributor and friend Korey Kealey.
No one knows that better than Leanne's on-air partner of 22 years, former News at Noon anchor Michael O'Byrne.
"It's very odd in journalism that you're so close to somebody that you say to them 'have a great weekend, I love you' and Leanne and I legitimately loved each other," O'Byrne said. "I was the big brother, she was the little sister. We worked together, we had each other's back and we had an awful lot of fun on air."