Host With The Most

Many Canadians recognize Cheryl Hickey as the host of ET Canada. But there’s so much more to know about this talented and generous broadcaster than meets the eye.

- Courtney Reilly-Larke

BEING ON SET WITH CHERYL HICKEY, LONG-TIME HOST OF ET CANADA, doesn’t feel much like work: she cracks self-deprecating jokes, busts out goofy dance moves, and brings a positive tone to the day.

Because it’s a Best Health shoot, the chatter quickly turns to our favourite (and not-so-favourite) ab workouts. “I have no feeling in my core,” says Hickey. She tells us about how she lost all sensation in her abdomen, a result of multiple surgeries to repair a string of painful post-pregnancy hernias and severe diastasis recti. Despite the loss of feeling, Hickey is grateful: “I can do the normal things I once took for granted: I can pick my daughter up, ski, ride a bike, and eat without pain again.”

It’s this kind of openness that leaves a lasting impression, and it’s made all the more remarkable when you consider that moments before she stepped in front of our camera, she received some life-altering news (but more on that later). Hickey is inspiring — a beautiful TV host who’s spent decades brushing elbows with Hollywood A-listers — and yet she somehow maintains the relatable feeling of a down-to-earth old friend. It’s a quality that’s helped the Owen Sound, Ont. native get to where she is today. “I think it all started with being a kid who loved to talk,” says Hickey. “My dad said to me ‘Do you know that you can have a job having conversations?’ and I remember that sticking in my head.”