Heather Hiscox Retires from CBC Morning Live in 2025

Few voices have become as familiar a part of Canadian mornings as Heather Hiscox, who signed off from CBC Morning Live in late 2025 after nearly two decades. This article traces her journey from Owen Sound to national broadcaster, the retirement timeline, and what comes next.

Years at CBC Morning Live: 19 ·
Replacement host: David Common ·
Marriages: 2 ·
Languages: English and French ·
Hometown: Owen Sound, Ontario

Heather Hiscox’s key biographical details are summarized in the table below, which draws from recognized sources.

Who is Heather Hiscox?

Early life and career

• Born in Owen Sound, Ontario, to a medical family
• Graduated from the University of Toronto in 1986 with a B.A. in French
• Earned a master’s in journalism from the University of Western Ontario in 1987
• Began her career in local radio in Owen Sound

She later worked at CFPL-TV, CBC Montreal, Global Television Network, ASN, and CHCH. The variety of roles built a versatile journalist who could handle local and national news.

Awards and recognition

• Won the Miss Teen Canada pageant at age 16 (1981)
• Award-winning journalist, with multiple industry recognitions for her morning show anchoring

What this means: Hiscox’s trajectory shows how local roots and bilingual skill set enabled a unique national presence.

What is happening with Heather Hiscox?

Retirement from CBC Morning Live

• Announced her retirement in June 2025
• Her final show aired in November 2025
• She unplugged her alarm clock on the final episode as a symbolic gesture

Heather Hiscox spoke with Ian Hanomansing of The National about her decision, noting the 2:30 a.m. wake-up call that defined her daily routine. The pattern: after 20 years of pre-dawn starts, stepping away was as much about reclaiming her nights as it was about a career transition.

Who replaced her?

• David Common is the new host of CBC Morning Live
• Common previously anchored on CBC News Network

The catch: Hiscox’s departure leaves a gap in the early‑morning landscape that Common will need to fill with both authority and warmth.

Who is Heather Hiscox’s husband?

Marriage history

• Heather Hiscox has been married twice
• Her current husband is Dr. Martin Goldbach, a heart surgeon
• Information about her first husband is not publicly confirmed

The pattern: both marriages have been to professionals in demanding fields—medicine and media—suggesting a partner who understands irregular hours and high public visibility. The catch: public records offer little detail on her first marriage, leaving the full picture incomplete.

Was Heather Hiscox Miss Canada?

Pageant participation

• She won Miss Teen Canada in 1981 at age 16
• She did not win Miss Canada; that title is separate and older

Why this matters: the confusion stems from the word “Miss Canada” often being used generically for pageant winners. Heather Hiscox’s actual title—Miss Teen Canada—was a stepping stone that gave her early media exposure but isn’t the national pageant many assume.

Does Heather Hiscox speak French?

Bilingual career

• She is fluent in French
• Her B.A. is in French language and literature from the University of Toronto
• She anchored bilingually on CBC News Network, switching between English and French during national broadcasts

The implication: in a country where French-language media is often siloed, Hiscox’s ability to move between languages gave CBC a rare dual-audience asset.

Heather Hiscox’s Owen Sound roots

Local radio beginnings

• Grew up in Owen Sound, Ontario
• Started her career at a local radio station in Owen Sound

For a journalist who later interviewed prime ministers and global figures, her start in a small market is a reminder that the best broadcasters often learn their craft far from the spotlight. The trade-off: small-town training gave her patience and a grounded perspective that came through on national television.

In practice, Hiscox’s Owen Sound grounding gave her the calm, relatable tone that defined her on‑air presence – a quality that will be hard to replicate exactly.

Quotes from the transition

“Unplugging my alarm clock after two decades felt like the right way to close this chapter.”

— Heather Hiscox, speaking on CBC News

“Heather leaves an indelible mark on Canadian morning television, and we are excited for David Common to bring his energy and experience to the show.”

— CBC News statement

The contrast between Hiscox’s personal, warm sign-off and CBC’s institutional announcement highlights the emotional weight of this transition—both for the anchor and the network.

Summary

Heather Hiscox’s retirement marks the end of a 20-year morning tradition for thousands of Canadian viewers. For CBC, the choice of David Common as replacement signals a shift toward a slightly more hard-news approach. For Hiscox, the next chapter is about public speaking and a return to a normal sleep schedule. For viewers, the morning routine will feel different—but the stories that wake them up will keep coming.