"Breakfast Television" has "parted ways" with its two hosts, Meredith Shaw and Sid Seixeiro. Shaw arrives on the red carpet for the 2023 Canadian Screen Awards in Toronto, April 12, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Arcuri.
In a surprising turn of events, Breakfast Television co-hosts Meredith Shaw and Sid Seixeiro have parted ways with the Citytv morning show. Their exit is part of a larger restructuring effort at the network.
Rogers Sports & Media has not disclosed the reason behind their sudden exit. However, this comes just weeks after the company scrapped plans for an extended version of BT, which was set to feature two other well-known hosts.
Network Promises Changes Ahead
A spokesperson for Rogers addressed the shakeup in a statement on Monday, reassuring viewers that the program remains a priority.
"We’re invested in Breakfast Television's success and leadership in Canadian morning television, and we’ll announce exciting new plans in the coming weeks," the statement read.
On Monday, Devo Brown and Frank Ferragine stepped in to lead the morning broadcast.
Hosts Say Goodbye
Seixeiro confirmed on social media that his final day on BT was Friday. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he expressed gratitude to both the audience and Rogers.
"Thanks for letting me into your homes and for being so kind. Also, thank you to @Rogers for over 13 years of support. They allowed me incredible freedom on-air, and I’m grateful," he wrote.
Meanwhile, Shaw shared an emotional farewell on Instagram, admitting, "Not gonna lie, this is hard."
Seixeiro had joined the show in 2021 after a successful stint at Sportsnet, where he co-hosted Tim & Sid. Shaw came on board in 2023.
Meredith Shaw and Sid Seixeiro have hosted Breakfast Television together since 2023. Citytv
Recent Departures Raise Questions
This is not the first shakeup at Breakfast Television in recent weeks. Just three weeks ago, Cheryl Hickey and Tracy Moore also announced their exit.
The pair had been set to host an extra hour of the show, focusing on entertainment and lifestyle. That additional segment was introduced after Citytv canceled its long-running lifestyle program, Cityline, which Moore had previously hosted.
However, on January 20, Hickey revealed on Instagram that Citytv had abandoned plans for the new BT segment.
"After careful consideration, Citytv has decided to not move forward with the development of the new national hour of BT, so I am no longer working at Rogers," she shared.
Breakfast Television Exit: A Cost-Cutting Move?
According to James Nadler, a media production professor at Toronto Metropolitan University, these decisions could be financially driven.
He noted that morning shows have struggled with declining viewership for years. While he didn’t have specific ratings for Breakfast Television, he pointed out that competition is stiff.
The four-hour program competes with CTV Your Morning, a three-hour show that transitions into Live with Kelly and Mark, and Global News Morning, which leads into The Morning Show.
"If their market share is shrinking and advertising revenue is dropping, traditional broadcasters need to cut costs," Nadler explained.With major hosts leaving and programming changes underway, viewers are left wondering what the future holds for Breakfast Television. The network promises updates in the coming weeks.
