‘I LOVE MY WIFE’
Ben Mulroney exits etalk following wife’s ‘white privilege’ scandal
In the wake of the controversy surrounding accusations that his wife, Jessica, tried to “silence a Black woman,” Ben Mulroney has announced he is stepping away from CTV’s flagship entertainment program etalk, which he has co-hosted since 2002.
Mulroney made the announcement Monday morning during a segment on Your Morning, which he co-anchors with Anne-Marie Mediwake, along with Lindsey Deluce, Kelsey McEwen and Melissa Grelo.
“I want to take a moment to speak about the situation surrounding my wife, Jessica, and the next steps I will be taking with Bell Media,” he began. “I love my wife; however, it is not my place to speak for her.”
He then went on to reveal he is stepping away from etalk in the hopes that the show will cast a “Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Colour” in his place.
“Last Saturday, I watched on CTV as my colleagues led a national conversation about how we can take action against systemic racism. That conversation showed me, more than ever, we need more Black voices, more Indigenous voices, and more People of Colour in the media … And that is why I have decided to immediately step away from my role as an anchor at etalk to create a space for a new perspective and a new voice,” he said.
Ben will continue on at the show as a special correspondent, providing coverage from select events including the Oscars. He will also continue to co-anchor Your Morning.
A source told the Sun that Ben had expressed a desire to elevate one of his Black colleagues to the level of co-host on etalk since early June, and given the events of the past two weeks it quickly became clear that now was the time.
The source added that talks between Ben and Bell Media for him to step away from etalk had been ongoing as his longterm goal has been to take on a role behind-thescenes in production.
CTV, Cityline, Hudson’s Bay and Good Morning America have all cut ties with Jessica Mulroney after she was accused of targeting a Toronto lifestyle influencer’s career in private Instagram messages earlier this month.
Sasha Exeter had urged followers to use their platform to speak out on racism, but Jessica took her comments as a personal attack. She also allegedly threatened Exeter’s livelihood, hinting that she could use her connections to jeopardize the influencer’s brand sponsorships.
“I have also spoken to companies and people about the way you have treated me unfairly,” Jessica said. “You think your voice matters. Well, it only matters if you express it with kindness and without shaming people who are simply trying to learn. Good luck.”
“Not only is Mulroney very well aware of her white privilege but just like her fellow Canadian Amy Cooper, she spewed out that threat so effortlessly ... For her to threaten me, a single mom, a single Black mom, during a racial pandemic blows my mind,” Exeter responded, revealing she was merely an acquaintance of Jessica’s. “It’s absolutely unbelievable.”
Exeter added in the video, which has been viewed over 830,00 times: “Listen, I am by no means calling Jess a racist but what I will say is this — she is very well aware of her wealth, her perceived power and privilege because of the colour of her skin.”
In the wake of the fallout, which saw his wife losing her CTV show I Do, Redo, Ben was absent from his regular hosting duties on Your Morning last week.
Meanwhile, his etalk colleague Lainey Lui unloaded on Jessica in a post on her website, laineygossip.com, writing, “Before last week, before Sasha Exeter told her story, there were a lot of people in Canadian media with their own Jessica Mulroney stories. Some of them are thinking of telling them now after Sasha opened the door.”
In the fallout from her feud with Exeter, Jessica, who is known for being friends with Meghan Markle, said that she would be stepping away from public commitments and social media.
“The events that have transpired over the last few days have made it clear that I have work to do,” she said in a written statement.
“I realize more than ever how being a white, privileged woman has put me far ahead of so many, and in particular those in the Black community. And while I can’t change the past, I can do my part to do better in the future.”
For her to threaten me, a single mom, a single Black mom, during a racial pandemic blows my mind.
Sasha Exeter (right), a Toronto lifestyle influencer, accused Jessica Mulroney of trying to silence her.