Jamie Campbell

Early life and education

Jamie Campbell was born and raised in Oakville, Ontario, where his early passion for sports was cultivated. His love for baseball began in 1977 after his father took him to a game where he had a conversation with Minnesota Twins outfielder Lyman Bostock, an event that left a lasting impression. Campbell played Little League baseball at Wallace Park in Oakville and was a regular attendee at Blue Jays games during his youth. He attended Oakville Trafalgar High School, where he played on the football team alongside future NFL placekicker Steve Christie. Campbell pursued post-secondary education at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute, graduating in 1989 with a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Radio and Television.

Career beginnings in broadcasting

Campbell's broadcasting career started at the age of 20 with a job in the Hockey Night in Canada archives, working as a librarian and runner alongside notable figures like Don Cherry and Ron MacLean. His first on-air role came in 1993 when he worked as a sportscaster for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in Edmonton, Alberta. From 1997 to 1998, he worked with CJOH-TV in Ottawa, Ontario, further honing his skills. In 1998, Campbell was offered a position as an anchor with the newly launched cable network CTV Sportsnet, which later became Rogers Sportsnet, and he has remained with the network ever since. He and Daren Millard co-hosted the network's first flagship program, Sportscentral, which later evolved into Sportsnet Connected and is now known as Sportsnet Central.

In addition to anchoring news shows, Campbell reported from major events including the Super Bowl and the Olympic Games. He gained valuable play-by-play experience covering Canadian Football League and Arena Football League games. Campbell also served as the in-studio host for Blue Jays broadcasts and Major League Baseball playoffs, establishing his voice within the network's baseball coverage. This diverse early experience prepared him for his later roles as a primary play-by-play announcer and program host.

Toronto Blue Jays broadcaster

Jamie Campbell's deep association with Toronto Blue Jays broadcasting began on April 8, 2002, when he provided play-by-play coverage for a single game, filling in for Rob Faulds. In 2005, he took over as the full-time play-by-play voice for Blue Jays telecasts on Sportsnet, replacing Faulds after the death of colour commentator John Cerutti. Campbell held this role until December 2009, when he was replaced by former Blue Jays commentator Buck Martinez. A signature element of his commentary was his home run call, "You can kiss that one goodbye!", which was previously used by broadcaster Fergie Olver in the 1980s.

In 2010, Campbell transitioned to become the moderator of the newly created pre-game show, Blue Jays Central. He initially hosted alongside former Blue Jays catcher Gregg Zaun. Following Zaun's termination by Sportsnet in 2017, Campbell co-hosted the show with Joe Siddall. In 2026, Siddall was promoted to replace Buck Martinez as the lead television colour commentator, and Campbell began hosting Blue Jays Central alongside Caleb Joseph. Campbell also continues to host the Blue Jays telecasts themselves, maintaining a central role in the team's broadcast presentation for Sportsnet.

Olympic broadcasting

Campbell expanded his broadcasting portfolio with significant roles in Olympic coverage. As part of the Canadian Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium, he was selected as the play-by-play announcer for events at Cypress Mountain during the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. He worked alongside Canadian former stars such as snowboarder Tara Teigen and mogul skier Veronica Brenner. Campbell delivered the historic call for Canada's first Olympic gold medal won on home soil, achieved by Alexandre Bilodeau in the men's moguls. His call, "And Alex Bilodeau... has done it! He has done it! He has done it! Gold medal for Alex Bilodeau! Oh relax Canada, you can breathe easy now, this great country finally has Olympic gold right here at home!" became a memorable moment in Canadian sports broadcasting. Campbell also served as the main play-by-play announcer for the cycling events at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, demonstrating his versatility across different sports.

Notable career moments and involvement

Throughout his career, Campbell has been involved in several notable moments beyond the broadcast booth. At the 2004 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, he caught a home run ball hit by David Ortiz and personally returned it to the player. A lifelong Blue Jays fan, Campbell attended several historic games as a spectator, including the doubleheader on May 4, 1980, where Otto Velez hit four home runs, Game 3 of the 1992 World Series featuring Devon White's famous catch, and the August 4, 1983, game where a throw by Dave Winfield struck and killed a seagull. In 2008, Campbell served as the emcee for the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, which honoured inductees Tony Fernández, Billy Harris, Gladwyn Scott, and Peter Widdrington. His personal fandom and professional duties have often intersected throughout his career.

Personal life

Jamie Campbell currently lives in Toronto with his two sons. One of his sons is named after his childhood idol, Canadian Formula One driver Gilles Villeneuve. In March 2022, Campbell publicly announced on Twitter that he had been diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia 14 months earlier and was undergoing treatment. His brother, Andy Campbell, has worked at CTV Atlantic. Campbell's father was the public address announcer for the Oakville Blades hockey team, and his early exposure to sports through his family greatly influenced his career path and personal interests from a young age.

Career timeline

Jamie Campbell's career in sports media spans several decades. He began at age 20 working in the Hockey Night in Canada archives. He later worked as a sportscaster for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in Edmonton and for CJOH-TV in Ottawa. In 1998, he joined the new cable network CTV Sportsnet, now Rogers Sportsnet, where he has remained ever since. His roles have included anchoring news shows and hosting Toronto Blue Jays telecasts, including the pre-game show Blue Jays Central.

• 1993: Starts as a sportscaster for CBC in Edmonton.
• 1997 to 1998: Works with CJOH-TV in Ottawa.
• 1998: Joins the new CTV Sportsnet (now Rogers Sportsnet) as an anchor, co-hosting Sportscentral.
• 2002: First Blue Jays play-by-play assignment on April 8.
• 2005: Becomes full-time Blue Jays play-by-play voice for Sportsnet.
• 2009: Replaced by Buck Martinez as Blue Jays play-by-play announcer in December.
• 2010: Becomes moderator of Blue Jays Central. Calls events at the Vancouver Olympics.
• 2012: Serves as play-by-play announcer for cycling at the London Summer Olympics.
• 2017: Co-host Gregg Zaun leaves Blue Jays Central. Campbell hosts with Joe Siddall.
• 2022: Announces his diagnosis with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.
• 2026: Caleb Joseph joins Campbell as co-host of Blue Jays Central.

Questions about Jamie Campbell

What is Jamie Campbell's role with the Toronto Blue Jays?

Jamie Campbell is currently the host of Toronto Blue Jays telecasts on Sportsnet. He is the moderator of the pre-game show Blue Jays Central, a role he began in 2010. He previously provided the play-by-play for Blue Jays games from 2005 to 2009. He now hosts Blue Jays Central alongside Caleb Joseph.

What was Jamie Campbell's famous Olympic call?

Jamie Campbell called Canada's first gold medal on home soil at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. The gold medal was won by Alexandre Bilodeau in the men's moguls. Campbell's call included, "And Alex Bilodeau... has done it! He has done it! He has done it! Gold medal for Alex Bilodeau! Oh relax Canada, you can breathe easy now, this great country finally has Olympic gold right here at home!"

How did Jamie Campbell start his broadcasting career?

At age 20, Jamie Campbell got a job as a librarian and runner for the Hockey Night in Canada archives. There he worked with Don Cherry and Ron MacLean. In 1993, he worked as a sportscaster for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in Edmonton, Alberta. His first major network role was as an anchor with the new CTV Sportsnet in 1998.

What is Jamie Campbell's connection to Oakville, Ontario?

Jamie Campbell was born and raised in Oakville, Ontario. He attended many Oakville Blades hockey games where his father was the public address announcer. He played Little League baseball at Wallace Park in Oakville. He also attended Oakville Trafalgar High School.

Where did Jamie Campbell go to school?

Jamie Campbell attended Oakville Trafalgar High School in Oakville, Ontario. As a youth, he was a member of the football team there and was a teammate of future NFL placekicker Steve Christie. In 1986, he enrolled at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute. He successfully graduated from Ryerson in 1989, earning a Bachelor of Applied Arts degree in Radio and Television. This educational background provided the foundation for his subsequent career in sports broadcasting. His early life in Oakville also included attending many local hockey games and playing Little League baseball at Wallace Park.

What health challenge did Jamie Campbell announce?

Jamie Campbell publicly announced a significant health challenge in March 2022. He revealed on Twitter that he had been diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. This diagnosis had occurred 14 months prior to his announcement. Campbell shared that he was actively receiving treatment for the condition. This personal update was made while he continues his professional role as a host for Toronto Blue Jays telecasts. He currently lives in Toronto with his two sons while managing his health.

Sources and further reading

• Jamie Campbell (Wikipedia)
• Jamie Campbell Comedy: Home (jamiecampbellcomedy.com)

Checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-11-06.