Farewell, John Gormley: Iconic Sask. radio host airs final talk show

It’s the end of an era for Saskatchewan radio.

CKOM and CJME’s John Gormley hung up his headphones on Friday, marking the end of a daily talk show that’s helped inform and entertain the province for the past 25 years.

His four-hour show was always filled with big-name guests, entertaining calls from listeners, ethical debates, funny musings about life on the Saskatchewan prairies and – of course – plenty of opinions.

Over the past quarter century, he has hosted the show 6,000 times, with 25,000 guests and 65,000 calls – no small achievement.

Gormley said he plans to mark his first day without hosting the show by sleeping in “until the late hour of 7 o’clock.”

But while he won’t miss the early mornings, he said there are plenty of things he’ll miss about hosting the show.

“What I’ll miss most is that dynamic that you get every single day from the listeners,” Gormley said. “From the calls to the texts to all the feedback, this show over the years has become like a giant coffee row, and I think I’m really going to miss that energy.”

“I want to say thanks for sharing your lives and passion, and for permitting me to have a front row seat in the incredible place that is Saskatchewan,” said John Gormley to his listeners on Nov. 8, 2023. Photo courtesy YouTube @ContextBeyondtheHeadlines

Asked if there’s anything he won’t miss as he moves on from the show, Gormley said he couldn’t think of a single thing.

“I’ve been absolutely blessed, because I think most people have lives that, on certain days, they really wish they could do something else other than work,” he said.

“There hasn’t been one single day in 25-plus years I haven’t rolled out of bed every morning excited that I get to go to work. And that’s pretty rare.”

At the opening of his final broadcast, Gormley said he’s been asked by many friends and listeners what kind of legacy he’s going to leave behind.

“The legacy is pretty simple,” he said. “I always wanted to leave Saskatchewan a little better than I found it, and I wanted to help – along with you – Saskatchewan see the remarkable, unique place that we are.”

Gormley said there’s a “new Saskatchewan” now, which no longer sells itself short and instead celebrates its people, its achievements and its excellence.

“I hope I played a role in that,” he said.

But although the show is coming to an end, Gormley isn’t ready to retire completely yet. He said he plans to continue to practise labour law on a limited basis, and will be involved in many community projects. He said he’ll continue to make Saskatchewan home, and is excited to do more travelling along with his wife, Marie.

While some have speculated that Gormley – who briefly served as MP for Battlefords-Meadow Lake – will get back into politics, he said that’s just not in the cards.

“I can say there will be no getting back into politics. I was so fortunate at a young age to have been a politician, but politics is not easy,” Gormley said.

“I’m going to be doing a lot of diverse things. I’m going to actually get back into practising more labour and employment law. It’s going to be just a differently calibrated life.”

Former Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall joined the final show, and played “Good Morning John” by Waylon Jennings in tribute to Gormley.

Wall thanked Gormley for using his platform to uplift and encourage the province of Saskatchewan over 25 years.

Former Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall — who once co-hosted the show along with John — joined Gormley on his final broadcast on Friday. (Taylor MacPherson/650 CKOM)

“I think it’s impossible to overstate the importance of that,” the former premier said.

Saskatchewan’s current premier, Scott Moe, also took some time on Friday to call in to the show and congratulate Gormley on his achievements over the years.

“Thank you for giving Saskatchewan people a voice for so many years,” Moe said.

On Monday, former Regina police chief Evan Bray will be stepping into Gormley’s shoes as the new voice of Saskatchewan. Gormley said his advice for Bray was simple.

“Lean into what you do,” Gormley said. “Work with the people and convene that conversation every morning. And Evan’s really good at that already. I think he’d going to do a fantastic job.”

To celebrate the contributions Gormley made over the years, Rawlco Radio is donating $100,000 to the University of Saskatchewan’s law school to create a scholarship for mature students. It’s a cause close to Gormley, who followed that path himself.

“I deeply appreciate this generous and meaningful gesture by Rawlco Radio,” Gormley said.

“Studying law at the U of S was a rewarding and transformative experience in my life. As a mature student with family responsibilities, it was often challenging. For Rawlco to assist future mature students this way will provide some of tomorrow’s lawyers a wonderful opportunity they might not otherwise have had.”

Tune in to 650 CKOM and 980 CJME on Monday at 8:36 a.m. to catch the first Evan Bray Show.