'Ottawa just got a new best friend': Ottawa at Work with Leslie Roberts debuts on 580 CFRA

Leslie Roberts joins Newstalk 580 CFRA Roberts becomes new morning host of 'Ottawa at Work' on Newstalk 580 CFRA.

OTTAWA — A brand new talk show starring award-winning TV and radio broadcaster Leslie Roberts debuts today on Newstalk 580 CFRA.

Ottawa at Work with Leslie Roberts will air from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday to Friday. Leslie will share Ottawa's biggest news of the day for listeners at work, at home, or in traffic.

"When I was a kid, my dad was a talk show host here in Ottawa so it's in my blood," Roberts says. "My mom used to joke I came out of the womb asking questions."

Roberts says he's excited to delve deeper into the stories of the day.

"In radio, you get to dig a little bit deeper and find a little bit more and get into the nitty gritty of the stories that are making news," he says.

Roberts will continue to co-host CTV Morning Live on CTV 2 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. before heading into the radio studio upstairs at 87 George Street.

"This is a very passionate city, when it comes to what's happening," he says. "People who care, people who want change, people who hope they can have a say in how the city works."

And yes, he says he plans to open up the phone lines. (613-521-8255 in Ottawa, *580 on a Bell Mobility cell phone, or 1-800-580-2372 long distance)

"Leslie Roberts is a familiar face as you start your day and now he’ll be a familiar voice you can listen to on the radio," said Peter Angione, Director of News and Information Programming for Bell Media Ottawa. "Roberts is an experienced journalist and host, and has his finger on the pulse of what people are talking about."

Ottawa at Work with Leslie Roberts immediately follows The Morning Rush with Bill Carroll. Carroll says he's happy to be working with Roberts again, but he's even happier for CFRA listeners.

"He’s great in TV, but Leslie's personality is an even better fit for talk radio. He’s so authentic. What you hear on the radio is exactly what it’s like to be his friend," Carroll says. "We became friends while working together in Toronto and have stayed close ever since. It’s so much fun now to share him with the city. He can talk about anything. Politics, family and life. Sometimes we argue like crazy about an issue but we always end up laughing. That’s what his radio show will be like. He makes you think, and he challenges everyone who sits in front of him, but damn it, you can’t help but love the guy. Ottawa just got a new best friend."

The new show also marks a reunion between Leslie and his former radio producer at CJAD 800 in Montréal, Matt Guité, who will be producing Ottawa at Work with Leslie Roberts on CFRA.

"Leslie is such a great guy to work with, being reunited for this new show is an amazing opportunity," Guité says. "I think listeners are really going to love what we’re putting together, and we’re looking forward to making them a part of the show!"

You can stream the show LIVE every day, and find podcasts of episodes after they've aired, at CFRA's website. You can also stream the show on the iHeartRadio app.