TORONTO — Breakfast Television co-host Dina Pugliese says she is leaving the show after 16 years in part due to the gruelling, early morning hours of the job.
Pugliese announced her departure Wednesday, stating that while working on the show has been a "blessing" and she cares about her fans and co-workers, "the hours never got easier."
She said when she started, she was waking up around 4 a.m., but recently it's been even earlier, around 2:30 a.m., and "more and more it's taken both a mental and physical toll."
Her last day will be on Feb. 24.
Pugliese said she plans to spend more quality time with her family, travel with her husband and focus on her clean beauty line.
In a Twitter statement, Rogers Sports and Media stated that Pugliese would be sorely missed and that they are grateful for the contributions she made to Breakfast Television and Citytv.
Before joining Breakfast Television, the Canadian Screen Award nominee was an associate producer of the Global TV talk show hosted by Arlene Bynon, "The Bynon Show," and host of "The A-List" and Star!’s entertainment news series, "Star! Daily."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 15, 2023.
Noel Ransome, The Canadian Press
