Happy to be your host

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This article was published 19/06/2017 (3211 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Listeners to CBC Manitoba’s Weekend Morning Show have a new guest for breakfast.

Island Lakes resident Nadia Kidwai is the new host of the show, which can be heard Saturday and Sunday mornings on CBC Radio One 89.3 FM/990 AM in the province.

Kidwai has replaced former longtime host Terry MacLeod, who retired from CBC last December.

Having done a six-month internship at CBC five years ago, Kidwai returned to the corporation last September on a one-year contract as a host developer. In that time, the 34-year-old spent time hosting Radio Noon, Up to Speed, and the Weekend Morning Show for a period after MacLeod’s retirement. And now she occupies that seat on a permanent basis, Kidwai is still humbled to be at the microphone.

“When I came here, I never thought in a million years I’d be hosting a show,” said Kidwai, who was born and raised in Cardiff, Wales, and studied politics and history at the prestigious Oxford University.

“I call Terry my CBC dad and he’s my mentor. And everyone here has been so supportive and generous and kind. I feel like I belong here and I feel like I bring something different to the table. Terry has really championed me and made me feel really valuable for who I am and what I bring. He even wrote a Facebook post to endorse me and he didn’t have to do that. We still have coffee and he gives me feedback and he believes in me.”

As well as her mentor, Kidwai is also happy to join the successful show team of Bridget Forbes, producer, and Bruce Ladan, director and technical producer. Add to that list, the guests on the show and, of course, the show’s audience, and it all adds up to a pretty sweet gig for the mother of two young kids.

“I get to talk to cool people about cool things and I get paid to do that,” Kidwai said.

“These are inspiring people. They may not always be doing huge, life-changing things in the community, but they are all making a difference in the community, which makes me passionate to help tell their stories. One of things about the weekend show is that it’s more about relationships and less about issues.”

Prior to her broadcasting career taking off, Kidwai has been a community-builder in various capacities in the last decade, whether it’s been her role as chair of the Manitoba Women’s Advisory Council, advising the minister responsible for the status of women, or as a council member of the Immigration Partnership Winnipeg.

In terms of her working week, Kidwai said there are some benefits to having Mondays and Tuesdays off.

“I find I get so much more done now on Mondays and Tuesdays. I can schedule in doctor’s appointments, and I can also volunteer at my kids’ schools. My kids are really happy to hear me on the radio, and they love coming to the studio and they love listening to CBC, so it’s nice that they’re so engaged. My parents, who are so far away in Cardiff, also listen to me online, even though they are six hours ahead.”

“By the time I start my work week on Wednesday, Bridget has already things going, and we chat about the stories we’re interested in doing for the week. I’ve still got so much to learn, and to look forward to. Humour is also a big part of it, and Bruce and Bridget make me feel very comfortable and support me a lot,” she added.

Go online at cbc.ca/manitoba for more information.

simon.fuller@canstarnews.com