# Dina Pugliese > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Dina_Pugliese > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Dina_Pugliese.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dina_Pugliese > Source revision: 1329454341 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Canadian television personality (born 1974) Dina Pugliese Pugliese in 2007 Born (1974-05-22) May 22, 1974 (age 52) Toronto, Ontario, Canada Alma mater Humber College York University (BA) Occupations Morning host; CITY-DT, Breakfast Television Years active 2004–present Spouse Alek Mirkovich **Dina Pugliese** (Italian: [\[ˈdiːna puʎˈʎeːze, -eːse\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Italian); born May 22, 1974) is a Canadian television personality. She has served as a co-host of [Citytv](/source/Citytv)'s morning show *[Breakfast Television](/source/Breakfast_Television)*, initially from 2006 to 2023, and returning in 2025. ## Career Born in [Toronto](/source/Toronto), Pugliese grew up in [Woodbridge, Ontario](/source/Woodbridge%2C_Ontario) and is of Italian descent.[1] She is a graduate of [York University](/source/York_University) (Sociology and Mass Communications) and [Humber College](/source/Humber_College) (Journalism). She began her career as a producer of [Global](/source/Global_Television_Network)'s *[The Bynon Show](/source/Arlene_Bynon)* and [Toronto 1](/source/CKXT-TV)'s *Toronto Today*, later becoming an entertainment reporter and host of *The A-List* and [Star!](/source/Star!)'s *[Star! Daily](/source/Star!_Daily)*.[2] She has also hosted [MuchMusic](/source/MuchMusic)'s *[VJ Search](/source/VJ_Search)* and Citytv's [New Year's Eve](/source/New_Year's_Eve) special from [Nathan Phillips Square](/source/Nathan_Phillips_Square). She is a past member of the [Girl Guides of Canada](/source/Girl_Guides_of_Canada).[3] In 2006, she joined Citytv's morning show *[Breakfast Television](/source/Breakfast_Television)*, replacing [Liza Fromer](/source/Liza_Fromer).[2] On October 17, 2011, Pugliese was announced as the host of *[Canada's Got Talent](/source/Canada's_Got_Talent)*.[4] The first season of the show ran in 2012.[5] On February 15, 2023, Pugliese announced that she would be leaving *Breakfast Television* after 16 years, with her final day on February 24.[6] In a 2025 interview with the *[Toronto Star](/source/Toronto_Star)*, she cited [burnout](/source/Occupational_burnout) from the role as one of the factors in her decision to leave, as well as a desire to care for her family; her husband had received surgery to remove a [brain tumour](/source/Brain_tumour), while her sister had recently been diagnosed with cancer.[6][7] She explained that "I could not get enough rest in the beginning after I left and was wondering, am I ever going to have energy again? So it was a lot of resting and walking and cooking and cleaning and sleeping and then repeat. I had amazing job opportunities come my way, and I was so grateful for that, but I couldn't even imagine stepping onto a stage."[7] On March 17, 2025, in a surprise on-air announcement, Pugliese returned to *Breakfast Television* as its co-host alongside new arrival [Tim Bolen](/source/Tim_Bolen). Her return was kept a secret from her colleagues, whom she surprised on-air by emerging from a [moose](/source/Moose) costume. Pugliese had been offered an opportunity to return to the program during a meeting with its executive producer Claire Adams, finding that *Breakfast Television* was "the one thing that was missing over the last two years. I finally felt ready and prepared, and rested and recovered enough to get back to it."[7] In June 2025, Pugliese was announced as host of *Bake Master Battle* for [Food Network](/source/Food_Network_(Canada)).[8] ## Awards 2006 – [Gemini Award](/source/Gemini_Award) nomination for Best Host in a Lifestyle/Practical Information or Performing Arts Program or Series for *[MuchMusic VJ Search – The Series](/source/Muchmusic_VJ_Search)*.[2] 2023 – On February 24, 2023, she was presented a [Key to the City](/source/Key_to_the_City) of [Vaughan](/source/Vaughan) by Mayor [Steven Del Duca](/source/Steven_Del_Duca) for her “outstanding contribution” to the entertainment industry.[9] ## Personal life Pugliese is married to Alek Mirkovich, founder of campayn.com.[10] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Canada, HELLO! (May 22, 2014). ["10 things you might not know about TV personality Dina Pugliese"](https://ca.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/0201405217415/10-things-you-might-not-know-about-tv-personality-dina-pugliese). *ca.hellomagazine.com*. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Salem_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Salem_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Salem_2-2) Salem, Rob (October 29, 2006). "Dina fits like a slipper on Breakfast Television: The new egg is winning raves as a bright-eyed presence on Toronto's show of shows in the morning", *[Toronto Star](/source/Toronto_Star)*, p. C6. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["GGC Fun Facts"](https://www.girlguides.ca/web/uploads/File/media_room/media_kit/ggc-fun-facts.pdf) (PDF). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["BT's Dina Pugliese to host Canada's Got Talent"](https://toronto.citynews.ca/2011/10/17/bts-dina-pugliese-to-host-canadas-got-talent/). toronto.citynews.ca. October 17, 2011. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-thr-cgtcancelled_5-0)** ["'Canada's Got Talent' Canceled After First Season"](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/canadas-got-talent-canceled-howie-mandel-341145). *The Hollywood Reporter*. June 22, 2012. Retrieved September 5, 2015. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_6-1) Ana Pereira, ["Breakfast Television co-host Dina Pugliese says she’s leaving the show after 16 years"](https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/television/2023/02/15/dina-pugliese-is-leaving-breakfast-television-after-16-years.html). *[Toronto Star](/source/Toronto_Star)*, February 15, 2023. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_7-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:1_7-2) Mudhar, Raju (March 17, 2025). ["Dina Pugliese returns to Breakfast Television with new host Tim Bolen: 'I couldn't even imagine performing … like I used to'"](https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/television/dina-pugliese-returns-to-breakfast-television-with-new-host-tim-bolen-i-couldnt-even-imagine/article_0502c3c6-0103-11f0-b9d8-57c4e73b670b.html). *Toronto Star*. Retrieved March 19, 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Canada's Rogers orders 11 unscripted originals for HGTV, Food Network brands"](https://www.c21media.net/news/canadas-rogers-orders-11-unscripted-originals-for-hgtv-food-network-brands/). *C21media*. Retrieved August 12, 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Beloved host Dina Pugliese given key to her hometown after 16 years in TV"](https://www.ctvnews.ca/toronto/article/beloved-host-dina-pugliese-given-key-to-her-hometown-after-16-years-in-tv/). ctvnews.ca. February 24, 2023. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Rise and shine: Dina Pugliese on celeb gossip, Justin Bieber and being a morning person"](http://www.postcity.com/Eat-Shop-Do/Do/February-2013/Rise-and-shine/). *www.postcity.com*. February 17, 2013. ## External links - [Breakfast Television](https://www.bttoronto.ca/) - [Dina Pugliese](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2584716/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier)) - [Dina Pugliese](https://x.com/DinaPugliese) on [X](/source/X_(social_network)) Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Dina Pugliese](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Dina_Pugliese). --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Dina Pugliese](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dina_Pugliese) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dina_Pugliese?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.