Claude Bernatchez, serene, just a few moments after having informed the listeners of his decision.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Sandra Lalancette
This decision is mine. She was not easy to take. But it has been long thought out, long matured
he explained to his listeners, bursting into tears several times.
I have been thinking about my professional future for several years. New challenges that I would like to take up, that I am looking for how to bounce back to a stimulating job that will still allow me to learn a little more about life, about the world
.
« This feeling of being useful and making a difference in your community is extremely rewarding and I will be eternally grateful to you for allowing me to experience it. »
Brilliant career
Extremely appreciated by his peers, Claude Bernatchez has enjoyed a brilliant career at Radio-Canada since 1988.
He was both a radio and television presenter in Edmonton, Toronto, Montreal, Trois-Rivières before returning to his hometown, Quebec.
<q data-attributes="{"lang":{"value":"fr","label":"Français"},"value":{"html":"Le réveil chaque matin à 3h30 which imposes on you the life of a monk, managing the fatigue which has become a lifestyle, the weekends which are never long enough to arrive fresh and ready on Monday mornings. I’m tired”,”text”:”Waking up every morning at 3:30 a.m. which imposes on you a monk’s life, managing fatigue which has become a lifestyle, weekends which are never long enough to arrive fresh and ready Monday mornings. I’m tired”}}”>Waking up every morning at 3:30 a.m. which imposes a monk’s life on you, managing fatigue which has become a lifestyle, weekends which are never long enough to arrive fresh and ready on Monday mornings. I’m tiredhe added before multiplying the thanks to his many collaborators over the years.
« I have not found yet [ce que je vais faire], but I hope that this leap that I am making a little in the void will allow me to get there. I don’t want to become a jaded animator waiting for retirement to come. »
Since 2016, Claude Bernatchez and his team have collected the first positions among the most listened to programs in Quebec in the morning. In the spring, the morning show took pole position for the sixth year in a row.
Claude Bernatchez (centre) and the entire “Première Heure” team celebrated the results of the poll in June, which then placed the program in the lead for a ninth consecutive Numéris poll.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Sandra Lalancette
Many tributes
The praises were quick to burst forth from his colleagues as well as from his loyal listeners and the political class.
Claude has been part of the daily life of people in the Quebec region for almost two decades and we are sad to see him leave the animation of this program so appreciated by listeners.
underlines Julie Lemieux, regional director of Radio-Canada in Quebec. But it is quite normal that he would like to have a different rhythm of life and to take up new challenges after all these years.
« We would like to thank him from the bottom of our hearts for his dedication, his professionalism, his rigor, his humor, his interviews with finesse and depth. »
Claude Bernatchez is deeply in love with Quebec City. We see here his accreditation for Quebec 1984
Photo : Radio-Canada / Alice Chiche
The mayor of Quebec Bruno Marchand also paid tribute to him on his Twitter account.
Claude is a morning monument of Quebec. What a pleasure it was to spend our many mornings in your company. Huge respect for the man, the presenter and the rigorous journalist. The rest will be up to you, I’m sure.
he wrote.
The colleague@BernatchezCannounces that he will leave the show “Première Heure” in Quebec this fall after 17 years.
Huge respect for this informed, attentive, sympathetic and generous host.
Good road.#polqc pic.twitter.com/IEwQsJpEYA
— Sebastien Bovet (@SebBovetSRC) May 11, 2022
I will miss your voice, both clarity and sweetness, a lot of intelligence. Thank you for all these years and good road for the future
commented a loyal listener, Lise Lachance.
« What a huge void, this departure of Claude Bernatchez. His voice had been part of our day starts for several moons. He will definitely be missed! Thank you for your presence Claude and for your professionalism. »
One last on June 23
Claude Bernatchez will host his last morning show on Thursday, June 23 and will take advantage of the summer break to reflect on his involvement with Radio-Canada.
The person who will succeed him will be revealed during the summer.