Sophie Thibault Bids Farewell to a Legendary Career With Grace and Quiet Strength
Today, we say goodbye to a truly iconic figure in Quebec media—Sophie Thibault. After nearly 40 years at TVA, the beloved news anchor is signing off for the last time. It’s the end of a remarkable era. For many of us, Sophie wasn’t just a journalist—we welcomed her into our homes every evening. She became a trusted voice, a familiar face, and a quiet force in a world that often demands loudness to be noticed.
But behind the poised on-air presence lies a deeply private woman who never truly sought the spotlight. In fact, she nearly walked away from journalism altogether in the early 2000s, frustrated by the grind of weekend newscasts and the toll it took on her personal life. She even considered returning to university to finish her psychology degree. Then, by a twist of fate, the anchor role for TVA’s late-night newscast opened up—and although she doubted herself, she applied. And she got it. That moment changed everything.
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What’s extraordinary is that Sophie Thibault never aimed to be first. She openly admits she was more comfortable as second or third in command. Yet, in 2002, she shattered a glass ceiling by becoming the first woman in North America to solo anchor a nightly newscast. That was a big deal—especially in an era when credibility in news was still seen as something that had to come with a man’s voice. Her success wasn’t inevitable; she earned it through talent, resilience, and the belief of a few who saw her potential when others didn’t.
Through the years, her viewers came to feel like they knew her—but Sophie always maintained clear boundaries. She chose to keep her private life private. Even her relationship with her long-time partner, former Radio-Canada anchor Dominique Poirier, wasn’t something she hid—yet she never used it for attention either. As she puts it, “We never hid. But when you're a public figure, you already give so much of yourself.”
Now, at 64, Sophie is closing this chapter not because of health issues—though she has battled a bout of skin cancer—or financial pressures at the network. It was simply time. She wants to slow down and pour herself into her other passions, like photography. She’s already published two photo books, with a third on the way, and is working on a documentary about skin cancer. Maybe even some fiction writing, who knows?
In her own words, she lives life at 120 miles an hour, struggling to slow down, always resisting the end of anything. But as she steps away from the anchor’s chair, she’s doing just that—choosing peace, creativity, and time with the woman she loves. She may be retiring from the news, but Sophie Thibault’s legacy is very much alive. Quietly revolutionary, she showed us that strength doesn’t need to shout. And that, perhaps, is her most powerful message of all.
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