18 Facts About Christie Blatchford

Christie Marie Blatchford was a Canadian newspaper columnist, journalist and broadcaster.

Christie Blatchford was inducted into the Canadian News Hall of Fame in 2019.

Christie Blatchford was born in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, the daughter of Kathleen and Ross Christie Blatchford.

When Christie Blatchford was in grade 11, the family moved to Toronto when her father became manager of the North Toronto Memorial Arena.

Christie Blatchford attended North Toronto Collegiate Institute, graduating in 1970.

Christie Blatchford then studied journalism at Ryerson University, and worked for the student paper The Ryersonian.

Christie Blatchford's grandfather, Andy Lytle was a sports writer and editor for the Vancouver Sun in the 1920s and again in the 1950s and a sports editor at the Toronto Daily Star in the 1930s and 1940s.

Christie Blatchford's uncle, Tommy Lytle, was a Toronto Star editor until his retirement in 1974.

Christie Blatchford began working part-time for The Globe and Mail in 1972, while still studying journalism at Ryerson, where she graduated at the top of her class.

Christie Blatchford was hired full-time by the Globe in 1973, working as a general assignment reporter and then as a sports columnist at the paper from 1975 until 1977; she was billed as Canada's first female sports columnist and was at the time one of only six female sports reporters in North America.

Christie Blatchford's column was originally in the paper's lifestyle section but moved to the high-profile page 5 feature column space previously occupied by Paul Rimstead, following his death in 1987.

Christie Blatchford remained at the Sun for 16 years, eventually transitioning back into news reporting and harder news features, by the late 1990s, notably covering high-profile trials such as those of Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka.

In 1998, Christie Blatchford moved to the newly launched National Post.

Christie Blatchford left the Post to return to The Globe and Mail in 2003, working as a columnist there for eight years.

Christie Blatchford returned to the National Post in 2011 and would remain there for the rest of her career.

Christie Blatchford was a frequent panelist, commentator, contributor and guest on CFRB radio for several decades.

Christie Blatchford was inducted into the Canadian News Hall of Fame the same month, but was unable to attend the ceremony.

Christie Blatchford took leave from writing her column and sought treatment at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, where she underwent several months of surgeries, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and immunotherapy.