Shortly after becoming head of CTV News, Michael Melling reportedly asked questions about host Lisa LaFlamme’s hair, according to reports from The Globe and Mail.
• Also read: Lisa LaFlamme’s surprise firing sends shock waves
According to a senior CTV official who witnessed the scene, Michael Melling asked at the meeting who approved the decision to “turn Lisa’s hair gray.” The latter also told The Globe and Mail that the question of Lisa LaFlamme’s hair color came up on set one day when Michael Melling noticed her turning a purple hue in the studio lighting.
It is also Michael Melling who announced Lisa LaFlamme’s departure from her role as host of CTV National News. A retreat that the moderator did not expect. Normally he had almost two years left on his contract. She has been with the network for 35 years and has held that role since 2011.
praise
The Globe and Mail recalled that the presenter made headlines in 2020 and was praised by women across the country when she decided to stop dying her hair.
Lisa LaFlamme explained in a CTV special that she couldn’t visit her colorist due to the pandemic, so she had to spray her roots every day before going on air. From then on, she decided to keep her gray hair.
His sudden repression triggered strong reactions of anger and confusion within CTV itself. Tensions between the presenter and Michael Melling have been reported to the Globe and Mail in particular by current employees of the company.
According to these testimonies, the tensions relate to their vision of the network’s priorities and the use of its resources, particularly in relation to coverage of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee and the war in Ukraine.