Barbara Budd | |
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| Born | (1951-05-23)May 23, 1951 (age 73) St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada |
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| Years active | 1977-present |
Barbara Budd (born May 23, 1951) is aCanadian actress, narrator and radio announcer. Between 1993 and April 30, 2010, she was the co-host ofCBC Radio One'sAs It Happens.
Budd was born inSt. Catharines, Ontario.[1] She studied theatre performance atYork University and graduated with aBachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1974.
Budd worked for five seasons as a company member at Canada'sStratford Festival underRobin Phillips (1975–1980),[2] most notably playing Cathleen in a 1977 production ofLong Day's Journey into Night[3] andEmilia in a 1979 production ofOthello.[4]
She continued to act for other theatre companies, and had minor film roles, in the 1980s before joining CBC Radio, for whom she worked as acontinuity announcer and substitute host,[5] as well as an occasional guest performer onRoyal Canadian Air Farce.[6] Three of her guest appearances with Air Farce appear on the troupe's 1990 albumTo Air Is Human, To Farce Divine.[7] In one of her most famous sketches withAir Farce, a businessman befuddled by the complexities of the newGST calls the government's information line; Budd plays the customer service representative, who answers his tax questions in the steamy and seductive tone of aphone sex operator.[7]
She joinedAs It Happens, succeedingAlan Maitland, in 1993.[6]
She had done voice work on animations including shows such asRoboCop: The Animated Series,Dinosaucers,Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends,Stunt Dawgs,Babar,The New Archies,Rupert,Little Shop,Blazing Dragons,Stickin' Around,The Adventures of Tintin,Ultraforce,Pippi Longstocking,Bob and Margaret, andLittle Rosey, and provided the voice of "Skyress" onBakugan Battle Brawlers.
She continues to narrate documentary films, recordings, and classical music concerts.
On the March 29, 2010 episode ofAs It Happens she announced that she would be leaving the show on April 30 as CBC had elected not to renew her contract,[8] and asked listeners to send her a photo so she could "put a face to the ears".[9] She subsequently revealed that she was never a permanent employee of CBC Radio, but spent her entire tenure with the network as a freelance contractor.[10]
Since departing CBC Radio, Budd has returned toStratford, Ontario, where in addition to her ongoing work as host, moderating panel discussions and appearing as a guest speaker, she is writing a book.[2]
In 2009, Budd received the Bryden Award byYork University as an alumnus who has attained extraordinary achievements and made remarkable contributions to York.[11] Budd receivedACTRA'sJohn Drainie Award in 2011 for her distinguished contribution to Canadian broadcasting.[12]
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