Ann Rohmer

Early Life and Athletic Background

Ann Rohmer was born on March 2, 1958, the daughter of Royal Canadian Air Force officer Richard Rohmer and school teacher Mary Olivia Whiteside Rohmer. She grew up in the Don Mills neighbourhood of Toronto, attending the private girls' school Branksome Hall before completing her secondary education at Northern Secondary School, from which she graduated in 1974. Her early years were marked by a strong commitment to athletics, particularly figure skating, where she trained under renowned coach Sheldon Galbraith and competed at the provincial level. A car accident at age 14 ended her competitive skating career, but it did not diminish her active lifestyle, as she later took up tennis, aerobics instruction, and both water and downhill skiing. To earn money while a university student, she began acting in television commercials, an experience that sparked her interest in the production side of broadcasting and set her on a new career path.

Before entering television, Rohmer worked in the aviation industry during the 1970s as a flight attendant, first for Nordair and later for Air Canada. This early job not only provided her with professional experience but also connected to a family tradition in aviation, given her father's distinguished military flying career. Her time as a flight attendant would later influence her post broadcasting career choices. The combination of her athletic discipline, early work experience, and exposure to the media through commercials provided a diverse foundation for her future in television.

Television Career Rise

Ann Rohmer's broadcasting career began in earnest in 1979 when she landed her first major television role hosting the internationally syndicated program ShowBiz, where she interviewed celebrities. This early opportunity allowed her to develop her on camera presence and interviewing skills. She then moved to the Global Television Network, where from 1983 to 1987 she served as a co host on the magazine style show That's Life, a role that earned her industry recognition. Her versatility was quickly demonstrated as she transitioned next into sports broadcasting, becoming a sports anchor for CBC, notably as the network's first female sports anchor. Following her stint at CBC, she spent two years as a features reporter on CTV's national morning program Canada AM, further broadening her experience across different news formats and networks.

In 1986, Rohmer found a more permanent professional home when she joined Citytv in Toronto as the CityPulse Weekend sports anchor. Her role expanded significantly in 1989 when she was chosen as the original host of Citytv's new morning show, Breakfast Television. This position required her to wake up at 4 a.m. and she perfected this early morning routine over a remarkable 12 year run, becoming a beloved wake up call for Toronto viewers. Her tenure on Breakfast Television established her as a central figure in the city's morning television and demonstrated her ability to connect with audiences on a daily, live basis.

Anchor and Host at CP24

In October 2001, Ann Rohmer moved from Citytv to its sister all news channel, CP24, where she became a chief news anchor. She also began hosting City Online, a daily interactive talk show that followed the noon newscast and allowed viewer participation. Her role at the 24 hour news channel grew rapidly, and in February 2002 she took on hosting duties for CP24's new real estate program, Hot Property. Demonstrating her range of interests, she later began hosting Animal House Calls in 2004, a program dedicated to pet care and animal welfare that aligned with a personal passion. That same year, she also started hosting the financial program On the Quarter, which aired quarterly.

Rohmer's schedule at CP24 was demanding and included many different responsibilities. She anchored the Live at Noon newscast and contributed to additional news coverage segments like More On CP24 during commercial breaks of Breakfast Television. In March 2009, she returned to morning television by launching and hosting CP24 Breakfast. A brief departure occurred in June 2010 when she resigned her primary duties for a role outside broadcasting, which was marked by an on air sendoff. However, by that fall she had returned to her regular weekday anchoring duties at CP24, with the station not publicly addressing the reasons for her return. She continued to host Animal House Calls and Hot Property alongside her news anchoring.

In November 2015, after 17 years at CP24 and 35 years in broadcasting, Rohmer announced her retirement from the channel. Her departure was framed as a move to pursue a new career in the aviation industry, following a family tradition. She expressed a desire for a life with more reasonable hours than her longstanding 3:30 a.m. wake up calls. However, her connection to broadcasting remained strong, as she planned to continue as a special guest host for Animal House Calls. In 2016, she returned to CP24 as a fill in anchor for one final year before leaving for good in 2017.

Career After CP24

Following her final departure from CP24, Ann Rohmer remained active in media, though in different formats. For the 2019/2020 season, she served as co host of Context Beyond The Headlines, a program produced by Crossroads Christian Communications. She also transitioned into radio broadcasting, where she continues to host two shows on York Region station CFMS FM, known as 105.9 THE REGION. Her weekly local newsmagazine show is called The Feed, which covers stories from York Region, and she hosts an interview program titled In Conversation with Ann Rohmer. These roles allow her to continue journalistic work with a focus on community oriented storytelling.

In August 2022, Rohmer briefly entered municipal politics, registering to run as a candidate for Toronto City Council. However, she ended her campaign on August 28 of that year, citing unforeseen family issues. Because the deadline to withdraw had passed, her name remained on the ballot for the election. This short lived political venture demonstrated her ongoing engagement with civic life in Toronto, even as her primary focus remained on broadcasting.

Honours and Recognition

Throughout her career, Ann Rohmer received numerous accolades that reflected her popularity and professional standing. She was voted by readers of the Toronto Sun as one of Toronto's favourite television personalities in both 1994 and 1999. In 1999, following an appearance as a Sunshine Girl, she was also voted one of the 10 Sexiest Women in Toronto by the same publication. Her community service was recognized in 1998 when she was named the Outstanding Community Volunteer by the Variety Children's Charity. Industry awards reflected the respect of her peers, including an early nomination for ACTRA's Best Newcomer of the Year, the prestigious Gordon Sinclair Award for Excellence in Broadcasting, and the Escoffier Society Media Award in 2001.

Personal Life

Ann Rohmer has been married and divorced three times. One of her most notable marriages was to Canadian downhill skier and Olympic medallist Steve Podborski, with the couple married from 1984 until their divorce in 1986. Details of her other marriages are not part of the public record. Her father, General Richard Rohmer, is a well known figure in Canada as a former fighter pilot, lawyer, and author, and her mother, Mary Olivia Whiteside Rohmer, was a grade school teacher. Rohmer's personal interests have often intersected with her professional life, most notably her passion for animal welfare, which led to her long running role hosting Animal House Calls.

Programs Hosted

Over her extensive career, Ann Rohmer hosted a wide variety of television and radio programs. She was the original host of Breakfast Television on Citytv starting in 1989. She anchored news for CP24 and hosted shows like City Online, Hot Property, and Animal House Calls. She also hosted the radio shows The Feed and In Conversation with Ann Rohmer on CFMS FM. Her roles demonstrated remarkable versatility across news, lifestyle, and talk formats.

• ShowBiz (1979): Internationally syndicated celebrity interview program.
• That's Life (1983 to 1987): Magazine style show on Global Television Network.
• CBC Sports: Sports anchor, becoming CBC's first female sports anchor.
• Canada AM (CTV): Features reporter for two years.
• CityPulse Weekend (1986): Weekend sports anchor for Citytv.
• Breakfast Television (1989 to 2001): Original host of Citytv's morning show.
• CP24 News Desk (2001 to 2015, 2016 to 2017): Chief anchor for the 24 hour news channel.
• City Online (2001): Daily interactive talk show on CP24.
• Hot Property (2002 to 2015): CP24's real estate program.
• Animal House Calls (2004 to 2015): CP24 and Animal Planet program on pet care.
• On the Quarter (2004): Quarterly financial program on CP24.
• CP24 Breakfast (2009 to 2015): Morning news program on CP24.
• Context Beyond The Headlines (2019/2020): Co host for Crossroads Christian Communications.
• The Feed (CFMS FM): Weekly York Region newsmagazine radio show.
• In Conversation with Ann Rohmer (CFMS FM): Radio interview program.

Her career included hosting the entertainment program ShowBiz and the magazine show That's Life. She worked as a sports anchor for CBC and Citytv. She covered news as an anchor for CP24 Breakfast and other newscasts. She also hosted specialized programs on real estate with Hot Property and on animal advocacy with Animal House Calls.

Questions about Ann Rohmer

What was Ann Rohmer's role on Breakfast Television?

Ann Rohmer was the original host of Citytv's Breakfast Television when it launched in 1989. She hosted the popular morning show for 12 years. She then anchored the morning show CP24 Breakfast starting in 2009. Her work on morning television made her a familiar presence in Toronto.

Is Ann Rohmer still on television or radio?

Ann Rohmer is no longer a regular presence on television but remains active in radio broadcasting. As of recent updates, she hosts two programs on York Region radio station CFMS FM, 105.9 THE REGION. These shows are The Feed, a weekly local newsmagazine covering York Region, and In Conversation with Ann Rohmer, an interview program. She has not held a regular television anchoring role since her final departure from CP24 in 2017.

Did Ann Rohmer have a career before television?

Yes, before her television career began, Ann Rohmer worked as a flight attendant in the 1970s. She worked for Nordair and later for Air Canada. This early career in aviation connected to her family background, as her father was a Royal Canadian Air Force officer and pilot. She also acted in television commercials while a university student, which sparked her interest in broadcasting.

What awards has Ann Rohmer won?

Ann Rohmer has received several awards throughout her career. These include the Gordon Sinclair Award for Excellence in Broadcasting and the Escoffier Society Media Award in 2001. She was voted one of Toronto's favourite television personalities by Toronto Sun readers in 1994 and 1999. In 1998, she was named the Outstanding Community Volunteer by the Variety Children's Charity. Early in her career, she was also nominated for ACTRA's Best Newcomer of the Year award.

Did Ann Rohmer run for political office?

Yes, Ann Rohmer briefly ran for political office in 2022. On August 19 of that year, she registered to run as a candidate for Toronto City Council. However, she ended her campaign on August 28, citing unforeseen family issues. Because the deadline to withdraw had already passed, her name remained on the ballot for the municipal election, though she was no longer actively campaigning.

When did Ann Rohmer start and leave CP24?

Ann Rohmer first joined CP24 in October 2001 as a news anchor and host of the interactive talk show City Online. She announced her retirement from CP24 in November 2015 after 17 years at the channel and 35 years in broadcasting. However, she returned to CP24 as a fill in anchor for the year 2016 before leaving for a final time in 2017. Her initial departure in 2010 was also notable, as she resigned her primary duties in June but returned to her regular weekday morning anchoring duties in the fall of that same year. Her career at the station was marked by hosting several programs including Hot Property, Animal House Calls, and CP24 Breakfast.

Sources and further reading

• Ann Rohmer (Wikipedia)
• Ann Rohmer axed? - NOW Magazine (nowtoronto.com)
• Ann Rohmer to leave CP24 (cjf-fjc.ca)

Checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-10-24.