After two decades of rising before dawn to inform the nation, veteran CBC anchor Heather Hiscox has signed off from CBC Morning Live for the final time. Her last broadcast aired on November 6, marking exactly 20 years since she first debuted as host of the flagship morning news program on CBC News Network.
A Career Defined by Early Mornings and Major Headlines
For twenty years, Hiscox's alarm sounded at 2:30 in the morning. She anchored the show each weekday from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. ET, becoming a familiar face during moments of national crisis and celebration. Her tenure covered a vast array of historic events, from the tragic 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash and the 2017 Quebec City mosque attack to royal occasions like the weddings of Prince William and Prince Harry and the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. She also guided viewers through ten Olympic Games.
The schedule demanded significant personal sacrifice. "It's a sacrifice I decided to make, and it served me well in my work," Hiscox acknowledged. The relentless pace meant other passions, like her background as a classical pianist and regular tennis games, often took a backseat. "I keep cancelling everything, because the schedule is so difficult. You just never know with news," she explained.
A Turning Point at 60
The decision to step away was prompted by a significant milestone: her 60th birthday. "I turned 60 years old, and that has a way of sharpening the focus … you think about what else you might like to do and if there are other opportunities out there," Hiscox said. While she holds no bitterness towards the demanding role—"I truly do love it," she insists—the time felt right for a change.
"I'm pleased with what I've done, what the team and the show has accomplished, so it's a nice point at which to leave," she reflected. "It's a wonderful gift to be able to determine for yourself the time to step back."
Personal Priorities and a Leap of Faith
Hiscox's retirement is not a rejection of her career but an embrace of new possibilities and personal priorities. After 25 years of marriage, she and her husband have never lived together full-time, residing in different cities. The prospect of more time together is a powerful draw, as is the simple luxury of more sleep.
With no concrete plans, Hiscox is embracing the unknown. "I don't have a firm path, but it's time to take a leap of faith and say, 'I believe there will be exciting adventures ahead,'" she stated. This optimistic outlook was nurtured during her childhood in Owen Sound, Ontario, where her parents, a local eye surgeon and a stay-at-home mother, encouraged her and her two sisters to explore their interests with dedication but without pressure to be the best.
As one of Canadian broadcasting's most recognizable morning voices falls silent, Heather Hiscox steps into a new, self-directed chapter, leaving behind a legacy defined by professionalism and grace during two decades of waking up with Canada.
