Billie Holiday (broadcaster)
Encyclopedia
Billie Holiday is the professional name of Canadian
radio and television personality Amanda Dunn.
The daughter of a retired Royal Canadian Mounted Police
officer, Holiday first became involved in radio at the age of 15.
She later attended Humber College
's TV and Film Production and Radio Broadcasting programs. She began her professional radio career at CKDX
, then a marginal dance music
station in Newmarket, Ontario
, north of Toronto. She moved to Toronto
's KISS 92.5 FM
as entertainment reporter, then became full co-host of the Mad Dog and Billie
morning show with the departure Jay "Mad Dog" Michaels
's first partner Daryn Jones
. The show continued at KISS when it transitioned to an urban contemporary
format, then moved to the sister station of KISS, adult contemporary station CHFI
from 2003 to 2005. After a year-long absence from the dial, Mad Dog and Billie returned to the Toronto
airwaves on August 8, 2006 on MIX 99.9
FM.
She was also a reporter of the Sound Source radio network, a host of the Canadian edition of televised talent search Popstars
, and co-host of Rogers Cable
community series Daytime.
Also an actress, she played the character Vanessa on Showtime show Soul Food: The Series
opposite Vanessa A. Williams
. Billie also started 'GO' (Girls Only), a program for the Toronto District School Board
to promote self-esteem
to high school girls. She received the Public Education HERO Award in 2002.
She was also a host of late night TV talk show Last Call, which aired on Toronto station Toronto 1.
On July 13 2011 she was let go by the station, but co-host Jay "Mad Dog" Michaels
remaining.
Holoday's marriage to lawyer Peter Luciano recently ended and she now lives in Toronto with dogs Mac and Lola.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
radio and television personality Amanda Dunn.
The daughter of a retired Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
officer, Holiday first became involved in radio at the age of 15.
She later attended Humber College
Humber College
Humber College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning is a polytechnic college in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Humber offers more than 150 programs including: bachelor’s degree, diploma, certificate, post-graduate certificate and apprenticeship programs, across 40 fields of study. Humber serves...
's TV and Film Production and Radio Broadcasting programs. She began her professional radio career at CKDX
CKDX-FM
CKDX-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 88.5 FM in the Greater Toronto Area. Although officially licensed to Newmarket, the station's studios are located in Toronto...
, then a marginal dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
station in Newmarket, Ontario
Newmarket, Ontario
Newmarket is a town in Southern Ontario located approximately 50 km north of downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area and is connected to Toronto by freeway, and is served by three interchanges along Highway 404. It is also connected to Highway 400 via Highway 9...
, north of Toronto. She moved to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
's KISS 92.5 FM
CKIS-FM
CJAQ-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts at 96.9 FM in Calgary, Alberta. The station uses the on-air brand name Jack FM. It is the second Jack FM station in Canada and the world, after its sister CKLG-FM in Vancouver.-History:...
as entertainment reporter, then became full co-host of the Mad Dog and Billie
Mad Dog and Billie
Canadian broadcasters Jay "Mad Dog" Michaels and Billie Holiday hosted a succession of prominent morning drive time shows in the Toronto, Ontario radio market as Mad Dog and Billie, later Jay and Billie and then Mad Dog and Billie again.After CISS 92.5 FM Toronto, was acquired by Rogers...
morning show with the departure Jay "Mad Dog" Michaels
Jay Michaels
Jay "Mad Dog" Michaels is a Canadian broadcaster who co-hosts The Breakfast Show with Mad Dog and Billie on Virgin Radio 999 in Toronto....
's first partner Daryn Jones
Daryn Jones
Daryn Jones is a Canadian comedian and television personality. In 2006 he became the host of MTV Canada's flagship series MTV Live, alongside co-hosts Nicole Holness and Paul “The Intern” Lemieux....
. The show continued at KISS when it transitioned to an urban contemporary
Urban contemporary
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
format, then moved to the sister station of KISS, adult contemporary station CHFI
CHFI-FM
CHFI-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts an adult contemporary format at 98.1 on the FM dial in Toronto, Ontario. Like most Toronto radio and TV channels, it broadcasts atop the CN Tower with and ERP of 44 kW and has a sizeable amount of American listeners...
from 2003 to 2005. After a year-long absence from the dial, Mad Dog and Billie returned to the Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
airwaves on August 8, 2006 on MIX 99.9
CKFM-FM
CKFM-FM, branded as 99-9 Virgin Radio , is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 99.9 on the FM dial in Toronto, Ontario. The station is owned by Astral Media...
FM.
She was also a reporter of the Sound Source radio network, a host of the Canadian edition of televised talent search Popstars
Popstars
Popstars is an international reality television franchise and a precursor to the Idol series. The series first began in New Zealand in 1999 when producer Jonathan Dowling formed the five member all-girl group TrueBliss...
, and co-host of Rogers Cable
Rogers Cable
Rogers Cable Inc., a subsidiary of Rogers Communications Inc., is Canada's largest cable television service provider with about 2.25 million television customers, and over 930,000 Internet subscribers, in Manitoba, Southern & Eastern Ontario, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador.The...
community series Daytime.
Also an actress, she played the character Vanessa on Showtime show Soul Food: The Series
Soul Food: The Series
Soul Food: The Series is a television drama that aired Wednesday nights on Showtime from June 28, 2000 to May 26, 2004. Created by filmmaker George Tillman, Jr. and developed for television by Felicia D. Henderson, Soul Food is based upon Tillman's childhood experiences growing up in Wisconsin, and...
opposite Vanessa A. Williams
Vanessa A. Williams
Vanessa A. Williams is an American actress who has appeared in several television series such as Melrose Place and the Showtime cable television series Soul Food. In 1996, she was featured in the television series Murder One...
. Billie also started 'GO' (Girls Only), a program for the Toronto District School Board
Toronto District School Board
Toronto District School Board, also known by the acronym TDSB, is the English-language public school board for Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
to promote self-esteem
Self-esteem
Self-esteem is a term in psychology to reflect a person's overall evaluation or appraisal of his or her own worth. Self-esteem encompasses beliefs and emotions such as triumph, despair, pride and shame: some would distinguish how 'the self-concept is what we think about the self; self-esteem, the...
to high school girls. She received the Public Education HERO Award in 2002.
She was also a host of late night TV talk show Last Call, which aired on Toronto station Toronto 1.
On July 13 2011 she was let go by the station, but co-host Jay "Mad Dog" Michaels
Jay Michaels
Jay "Mad Dog" Michaels is a Canadian broadcaster who co-hosts The Breakfast Show with Mad Dog and Billie on Virgin Radio 999 in Toronto....
remaining.
Holoday's marriage to lawyer Peter Luciano recently ended and she now lives in Toronto with dogs Mac and Lola.