Mayor Rob Ford and his brother, Coun. Doug Ford will no longer host a weekly radio show, ‘The City.’
In a short statement released by Newstalk 1010 Friday afternoon, the station said the Fords and Newstalk have decided to part ways.
“NewsTalk 1010, Mayor Ford and Councillor Ford have mutually determined to conclude broadcasts of The City, ending with last week’s show,” the statement reads. “Of course, Mayor Ford and Councillor Ford remain welcome at any time as guests on NewsTalk 1010.”
The announcement comes amid reports the mayor is considering seeking treatment for substance abuse issues in the wake of an admission he smoked crack cocaine and the release of an alarming video that shows him making threats in an intoxicated state.
The pair has frequently used the two-hour Sunday talkshow as a platform to tout their record of achievements at city hall and to press their agenda with the public.
Last week, the show’s final episode according to the statement, saw a crush of reporters waiting outside the Newstalk studios as the mayor used the show to address the crack scandal and apologize to the city for his behaviour for the first time.
The mayor’s office also released a statement later Friday thanking the station for carrying the show.
“Councillor Ford and I would like to thank (program director) Mike Bendixen and the team at Newstalk 1010 for the opportunity to voice our opinions and give Toronto residents an unfiltered take on the work we do everyday (sic) at Toronto City Hall,” the statement said. “Newstalk 1010 is a great station and it was a pleasure to work with Mike and the team. We wish them all the best moving forward.”
Since they began hosting the program in February 2012, the Ford brothers have often used the platform to speak to Torontonians on their terms rather than speaking with reporters.
While the brothers were known for going off on long tangents, the show regularly garnered an audience of people who called in both to laud the mayor and his brother and to criticize them for their policies. Not to mention the rest of the media, who would regularly tune in to hear the Fords address occasional controversies and city hall battles on air which they declined to address in interviews.
The final episode of the show aired Sunday just before the launch of a new show hosted by Mark Towhey, Ford’s former chief of staff.
“The City” was formerly hosted by Coun. Josh Matlow.
Newstalk did not say whether the show will continue with a different host.
Bell Media is the parent company of both Newstalk 1010 and CP24.
@Josh_F is on Twitter. Remember for instant breaking news follow @cp24 on Twitter.
