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'Dean Blundell Show' Cancelled: Corus Radio Pulls Plug On 102.1 The Edge Program

Radio Station Pulls Plug On Toronto Shock Jock
Edge.ca

After a series of questionable and controversial incidents, The Dean Blundell Show is officially no more.

Corus Entertainment made the announcement on Toronto's 102.1 FM The Edge's site this morning.

"With the start of the new year, Corus Radio will be taking 102.1 The Edge in a new direction in 2014," Dave Farough, general manager of Corus Radio Toronto, said in a statement. "The station will return to a more music-based format showcasing the best in modern rock. As a result, The Dean Blundell Show has been cancelled, effective January 6, 2014." The statement added that details of a new morning radio program would be announced in the "coming weeks."

The show's website was also deleted with the URL now saying "404 Not Found." Blundell's bio is also no longer appearing on the site. There's no word as to what program will replace Blundell's show or who might be hosting.

The program hosted by the shock jock was suspended last month by parent company Corus Entertainment after The Toronto Star reported on Derek Welsman, the show's producer, for publicly making comments regarding an on-going trial where Welsman was the foreman of a jury.

The Sept. 30 episode of "The Dean Blundell Show" had biased and homophobic comments which could have jeopardized Joshua Dowholis's chances for a fair trial. Dowholis was accused and found guilty of sexually assaulting four men at a Toronto bathhouse in 2011.

"If anyone wants to get into the backdoor business, I can give you some tips," Welsman said during the show, three days after Dowholis was found guilty. On three different broadcasts Welsman spoke about the trial including once before the jury's decision was reached.

"Just because he's gay, just because he lived that lifestyle, does not disentitle him to a fair trial," Dowholis' lawyer Kathryn Wells told The Toronto Star last month. She also added Welsman "willfully engaged in misconduct" by speaking out.

CFNY-FM, the call letters for 102.1 The Edge, posted a 30-second apology from Blundell before the show was suspended in December. At the time Blundell said they "crossed the line" with "rude, homophobic and inappropriate remarks..."

UPDATE: Blundell issued a tweet Monday afternoon acknowledging the end of his show

People familiar with the show were also thankful but for a different reason, with many of them saying it's about time the show was cancelled. You can see some of the reaction below.

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