On September 15, CTV Your Morning Ottawa marks its first anniversary, a milestone that represents hundreds of early mornings, countless local stories and a year spent building a new daily routine for viewers across the National Capital Region.
At the centre of it are Melissa Lamb, Will Aiello and Rosey Edeh, three familiar Ottawa media personalities who came together last fall to lead CTV’s local morning show. Over the past year, the trio has covered the serious and the lighthearted, from breaking news, weather and traffic to local businesses, charitable causes, food, health and the stories getting people talking.
For Lamb, one of the biggest changes has been the pace and presentation of the show itself.
“The new format is the high-paced, fast-moving energy and the fresh, updated look and feel,” she says. “It feels more dynamic and modern, keeping viewers engaged while reflecting the way audiences consume news and information today.”
For Aiello, the opportunity has also meant covering the city he calls home.
“Being able to put a spotlight on all of the unique businesses and local news in my hometown while loving what I do has been a dream,” he says.
Edeh points to another defining part of the first year: what she calls “the dynamic trio.” Hosting alongside Lamb and Aiello, she says, has given her the freedom to “smile, share and laugh” each morning, supported by a team both on camera and behind the scenes that arrives ready to bring its A game.
Part of what has defined that trio is that the hosts do not always approach a subject in the same way.
“A lot of the time we all have different perspectives on our subjects, but the respect for each other is always there,” Aiello says. “It makes it more about learning from one another.”
Lamb believes those differences are precisely why the chemistry works. She describes Edeh as bringing experience, professionalism and wisdom, along with a perspective shaped by her career as an Olympian. Aiello, meanwhile, is the team’s “free-spirited energizer bunny,” bringing enthusiasm and positive energy to the desk.
“Together, we each bring something different to the table, and I think that’s what makes the dynamic work so well,” Lamb says.
That chemistry has also left plenty of room for the unpredictability of live television. When asked for a moment they would never forget from the first year, Lamb and Edeh independently chose the same one: Aiello splitting his pants live on air during an exercise segment. The moment went viral online, while Lamb quickly came to the rescue with a jacket.
Behind the lighter moments, the first year has given the team a front-row seat to the people and organizations shaping the city. Here, all three hosts arrived at a similar conclusion about Ottawa: people show up for one another.
“What stands out to me about Ottawa is how close-knit our community is,” Lamb says. “There is so much good happening across our city, from the incredible organizations and volunteers to the everyday people who are always willing to lend a hand.”
At the centre of it are Melissa Lamb, Will Aiello and Rosey Edeh, three familiar Ottawa media personalities who came together last fall to lead CTV’s local morning show. Over the past year, the trio has covered the serious and the lighthearted, from breaking news, weather and traffic to local businesses, charitable causes, food, health and the stories getting people talking.
For Lamb, one of the biggest changes has been the pace and presentation of the show itself.
“The new format is the high-paced, fast-moving energy and the fresh, updated look and feel,” she says. “It feels more dynamic and modern, keeping viewers engaged while reflecting the way audiences consume news and information today.”
For Aiello, the opportunity has also meant covering the city he calls home.
“Being able to put a spotlight on all of the unique businesses and local news in my hometown while loving what I do has been a dream,” he says.
Edeh points to another defining part of the first year: what she calls “the dynamic trio.” Hosting alongside Lamb and Aiello, she says, has given her the freedom to “smile, share and laugh” each morning, supported by a team both on camera and behind the scenes that arrives ready to bring its A game.
Part of what has defined that trio is that the hosts do not always approach a subject in the same way.
“A lot of the time we all have different perspectives on our subjects, but the respect for each other is always there,” Aiello says. “It makes it more about learning from one another.”
Lamb believes those differences are precisely why the chemistry works. She describes Edeh as bringing experience, professionalism and wisdom, along with a perspective shaped by her career as an Olympian. Aiello, meanwhile, is the team’s “free-spirited energizer bunny,” bringing enthusiasm and positive energy to the desk.
“Together, we each bring something different to the table, and I think that’s what makes the dynamic work so well,” Lamb says.
That chemistry has also left plenty of room for the unpredictability of live television. When asked for a moment they would never forget from the first year, Lamb and Edeh independently chose the same one: Aiello splitting his pants live on air during an exercise segment. The moment went viral online, while Lamb quickly came to the rescue with a jacket.
Behind the lighter moments, the first year has given the team a front-row seat to the people and organizations shaping the city. Here, all three hosts arrived at a similar conclusion about Ottawa: people show up for one another.
“What stands out to me about Ottawa is how close-knit our community is,” Lamb says. “There is so much good happening across our city, from the incredible organizations and volunteers to the everyday people who are always willing to lend a hand.”
“The community shows up and shows out for their city,” adds Edeh.
Aiello has witnessed it through the many community events and charitable organizations featured on the program.
“Each and every time, this community steps up to help those in need,” he says.
One of those experiences carried particular significance for him. Eight years ago, Aiello worked on the promotions team helping set up the Your Morning Ottawa food drive behind the scenes. This past year, he returned to the event in a very different role, this time as one of the show’s hosts.
“To be a full part of it with this amazing team was a pinch-me moment,” he says.
As Your Morning Ottawa enters year two, the goal is to build on the balance established during the first: giving viewers the information they need to start their day while creating a show that feels connected to the city.
Edeh hopes it continues to be what she calls a “soft place to land” for viewers, alongside its breaking news, local stories, weather and traffic. Lamb sees room to keep experimenting with how those stories are told.
“I think there’s an opportunity to keep pushing the show forward, finding new, creative ways to tell stories, have fun and showcase the people and places that make our community so special,” she says.
Most of all, the team wants the connection established during its first year to keep growing. As Lamb puts it, the goal is to keep taking risks while making the show feel “fresh, authentic and genuinely connected to Ottawa.”
One year in, that connection may be the clearest measure of what Your Morning Ottawa has built. Lamb, Aiello and Edeh bring different perspectives to the desk, but every morning, the focus remains the same: Ottawa and the people who call it home.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Ben Joldersma