fiona forbes, media, television host, helen siwak, portfolioyvr

Fiona Forbes: Building Confidence, Connection, and Credibility Through Television, Storytelling, and Media Training

Fiona Forbes is a Canadian TV host, producer, and content creator whose career has been shaped by curiosity, clear communication, and a natural ability to connect with people. She earned her Bachelor of Arts at the University of British Columbia before studying broadcasting at the British Columbia Institute of Technology, a combination that laid the groundwork for the people-centred storytelling that would define her career.

For more than two decades, Fiona has worked across live television, lifestyle programming, digital media, and branded content. Her roles have included on-air host, segment producer, and senior creative producer, giving her a full understanding of the production process from the first spark of an idea to the final cut. She is widely recognized for her ability to guide unscripted interviews, lead high-engagement live streams, and create content that feels genuine on both traditional broadcast and digital platforms.

Alongside her work in broadcast and production, Fiona has built a meaningful parallel path as a media coach. She supports emerging hosts, public figures, and brand spokespeople as they strengthen their public speaking skills, on-camera confidence, and communication style. Her approach is grounded in practical, real-world techniques shaped by her years in live television and unscripted conversation.

Based in Vancouver, Fiona continues to create programming that informs, entertains, and resonates. She brings professionalism, warmth, and a deep understanding of storytelling to every project she takes on.

Fiona Forbes | Kristine Cofsky Photography

IN HER WORDS.

“I discovered my entrepreneurial spirit at the exact moment I figured out what I wanted to do with my life. It truly was a lightbulb moment. I was in my fourth year at UBC, preparing to follow in my dad’s footsteps and become a lawyer, but there was a major obstacle in my way. I struggled with extreme shyness. Any form of public speaking triggered intense anxiety and panic attacks. My dad, who built a successful career as a lawyer and also worked as an actor and director, understood how paralyzing that fear could be. He believed strongly in confronting fear head-on, and he encouraged me to take an acting or broadcasting course so I could learn to speak in front of people without melting down.

During one of those classes, I noticed a posting for an audition to host a television show. I had no intention of pursuing a career in broadcasting. My dad suggested that I go because auditioning is one of the most nerve-wracking experiences anyone can face, so it seemed like the perfect way to push through my fear. I went purely as an exercise to overcome my nerves. To my shock, I landed the role. One week later, with absolutely no experience, I was suddenly hosting a one-hour talk show. What I did have was that unmistakable spark. I felt an instant sense of belonging. It was electrifying. I loved every second, and in that moment I knew that this was the path I wanted. The only way to make it happen was to build it myself, and that was the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey in the broadcasting, film, and television industry, now twenty-five years strong.

EARLY LESSONS

In an industry defined by constant change, I learned early that the work is unpredictable and competitive. Auditions come and go, shows are greenlit and cancelled, and every time I land a gig it feels like winning the lottery. I love what I do so deeply that I would almost do it for free. One experience shaped me more than most. I had booked a dream project that paid more money than I had ever earned. We shot one episode, and then the Canadian portion was cancelled. I was devastated. Losing that job felt like watching an unbelievable opportunity vanish. When I eventually saw the final product, I realized I had dodged a bullet. The creative direction was completely wrong for me. The money might have let me retire, but artistically and personally it would have been a terrible fit. My bank account may disagree, but losing that gig was one of my greatest career blessings in disguise.

fiona forbes, media, television host, helen siwak, portfolioyvr

THE LONG RUN

My journey has never stopped evolving, and no two days have ever been the same. Rejection is part of the deal, especially when every job begins with an audition. It took time to reframe it. Eventually I learned to see rejection as simply not being the right fit. One of my biggest opportunities arrived very early when the second show I ever hosted turned into a seventeen-year run with my co-host, Michael Eckford. Together we hosted Daytime, Breakfast Television, Urban Rush, and The Rush. It was a golden era of talk TV, and I know how lucky I was to experience it. Broadcasting continues to shrink, and I may never have another opportunity like that again, but I am grateful that I had a dream gig for far longer than I ever expected.

A LIFE-CHANGING DIAGNOSIS

In October 2021, in the middle of the pandemic, my life shifted in a way I never expected. A routine mammogram led to a diagnosis of breast cancer, something that felt impossible until it was suddenly very real. Thanks to early detection, my cancer was treatable, and I am beyond grateful to be able to say that I am cancer free today.

The journey through treatment was long, emotional, and at times overwhelming. Cancer leaves physical scars, but the emotional ones take time, and I am still working through those layers. I leaned heavily on my doctors and nurses, and on the support of my circle of angels, who surrounded me with strength, compassion, and constant encouragement. They carried me through the hardest moments and reminded me daily that I was not going through this alone.

My diagnosis was Stage 1 ER+ HER2- IDC, a combination of letters and symbols I did not understand at first but can now recite without hesitation. I share it because reading other women’s stories helped me prepare for what I was facing, and I hope that by sharing mine, someone else might feel a little less afraid.

On July 21st, 2022, I received the call that I was cancer free. It is a moment that changed everything for me, and it is a date I will never forget. If there is anything I can urge people to do, it is to book their mammogram or ultrasound. Early detection saved my life, and it could save someone else’s too.

REBUILDING ENERGY

Once I recovered, I returned to the industry with new purpose and energy, landing a dream role as a producer and contributor on Global TV’s national entertainment talk show The Morning Show. It came at exactly the moment I needed it. But as the network continued to downsize, the workload grew heavier and heavier until there simply were not enough hours in the day. For the first time in my career, I burned out, and it began to affect my health.

Sacrifice is something I have always understood. Hosting a daily talk show for seventeen years meant endless prep: four or five interviews a day, constant research, constant reading, and more late nights than I can count. I probably interviewed over 30,000 people in that time. Sure, I gave up sleep and any sense of routine, but back in the day when budgets were healthy, we were basically getting paid to have fun and honestly, I would not change a thing.

But eventually, the line between passion and exhaustion blurred. I stayed too long in a role that was draining me because I did not think quitting was an option. When I became part of the most recent round of layoffs, it felt like the decision I was too afraid to make for myself had finally been made for me. And oddly enough, I am grateful for it. After a few months of rest, I am feeling like myself again.

It taught me a lesson I will carry forever: no job, no dream, and no opportunity is worth your wellbeing.

fiona forbes, media, television host, helen siwak, portfolioyvr

A CONFIDENCE RESET

Another recent opportunity came to save the day. I auditioned for a commercial without knowing what it was for. It turned out to be the launch campaign for Call of Duty Black Ops 7. I arrived on set and learned that I would be co-starring with Jake Paul, Huda from Love Island, Nikki Glaser, Terry Crews, and Peter Stormare. Seeing my name sixth on the call sheet was surreal. The director was Aaron Stoller, a comedic legend whose work I have admired my entire career. My scene was the last shot of a fourteen-hour day, and the pressure was intense. In my head, all I kept thinking was that I could not afford to mess it up. When he called “action,” something inside me clicked. My confidence surged back, and I remembered exactly why I love this work. When he called “cut,” he walked over, shook my hand, and said, “Fiona, thank you for being fucking awesome at what you do.” That moment restored my confidence completely, and it breathed new life into my career. It was exactly what I needed.

A DEFINING ERA

There was never a single moment when I knew my work would succeed. When we began our tiny talk show back in 1997, it felt like a low-budget version of Wayne’s World. We were two kids handed one hour of live television, five days a week. Looking back, the recognition that we might be onto something came when we were nominated for the Leo Awards and beat out network talk shows. That nomination became the beginning of seventeen unforgettable years.

I have been fortunate to learn from extraordinary people, including executive producers who taught me that the host sets the tone for everyone the moment they walk into the studio. Even before I had an official title, I learned to lead by example, and that ethos carried into my work as a producer and into every set I have ever stepped onto.

THE HEART OF MY WORK

Today, the heart of my business remains the same: pursuing my dream wherever it leads. When I am not auditioning or working as a freelance host and producer, I am teaching. I never would have imagined that someone as shy and anxious as I once was would become a media training expert, but it has become one of the most meaningful parts of my career. I teach through Coldwater Communications, where I help CEOs, professionals, hosts, and everyday people find confidence in public speaking and on-camera communication. Watching someone transform from terrified to empowered is more rewarding than almost anything else I do.

LOOKING AHEAD

Looking ahead to 2026, I plan to continue expanding this work. I also intend to deepen my involvement in charitable initiatives, something I have always seen as a privilege that comes with having a public voice. Another incredible project recently emerged. I’ve had the chance to help promote a heartwarming and impactful program on called The Assembly, produced by Small Army Entertainment for CBC. Each episode features thirty neurodivergent interviewers asking Canadian celebrities anything they want. To support a show that brings so much authenticity, humour, and heart into the world has been profoundly meaningful. I sincerely hope it returns for Season Two. My hope for the next chapter is simple: to continue doing work that matters, to keep evolving, and to help others step into their own confidence just as I learned to step into mine.”

Follow Fiona Forbes on IG: @fionaforbes

Header Photo by Kelly Hofer Photography.

Author Profile

Helen Siwak, Collaborator: This story is created in collaboration between Helen Siwak and the featured subject. As the founder and publisher of Portfolio.YVR Business & Entrepreneurs Magazine, Helen works closely with entrepreneurs to share their paths of innovation, resilience, and growth. Each story in this series is co-developed through interviews and first-person insights, blending authentic voices with Helen’s editorial expertise to highlight the remarkable individuals shaping British Columbia’s business landscape.