"I was blindsided": CTV cuts ties with national anchor Lisa LaFlamme (VIDEO)

CTV has cut ties with national news anchor Lisa LaFlamme in a decision that “blindsided” the journalist.

LaFlamme broke the news in a video message on Twitter.

“For 35 years I have had the privilege of being welcomed into your homes to deliver the news on a nightly basis, so I felt you should hear this directly from me,” she said.

“On June 29, I was informed that Bell Media made a quote, ‘business decision,’ to end my contract bringing to a sudden close my long career with CTV News. I was blindsided. And I’m still shocked and saddened by Bell Media’s decision.”

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The former CTV National News news anchor added that she was asked to keep the decision confidential from her colleagues and the public until the details of her exit were finalized.

LaFlamme has been chief news anchor of CTV National News since 2011. Known for her hands-on reporting, the anchor delivered live coverage from Paris in 2015 in the aftermath of terrorist attacks, flood regions in Texas and Florida in 2017, and Donald Trump’s inauguration that same year.

She’s had exclusive one-on-one interviews with every Canadian prime minister since Brian Mulroney; Pakistani activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner laureate Malala Yousafzai; and even visited Prince Harry at his home in London’s Kensington Palace for a primetime broadcast special.

“While it is crushing to be leaving CTV national news in a manner that is not my choice, please know reporting to you has truly been the greatest honour of my life and I thank you for always being there,” LaFlamme said to close out the video.

I have some news… pic.twitter.com/lTe3Rs0kOA

— Lisa LaFlamme (@LisaLaFlamme_) August 15, 2022

Bell Media announced the new anchor not long after LaFlamme’s tweet.

Omar Sachedina will be CTV National News‘ chief news anchor and senior editor effective Monday, September 5.

This news comes months after a number of layoffs across Bell Media, including several high-profile staffers at CTV Vancouver and Bell-owned radio stations.

These layoffs prompted big changes to the west coast’s lineup of anchors.

Around this time we also saw popular eTalk host Danielle Graham call it quits after 15 years on the show.