This Hour Has 22 Minutes (commonly shortened to 22 Minutes since 2009) is a weekly Canadian television comedy that airs on CBC Television. Launched in 1993 during Canada's 35th general election, the show focuses on Canadian politics with a combination of news parody, sketch comedy, and satirical editorials. Originally featuring Cathy Jones, Rick Mercer, Greg Thomey, and Mary Walsh, the series featured satirical sketches of the weekly news and Canadian political events. The show's format is a mock news program, intercut with comic sketches, parody commercials, and humorous interviews of public figures.
Its full name is a parody of This Hour Has Seven Days, a CBC news magazine from the 1960s; the "22 Minutes" refers to the fact that a half-hour television program in Canada is typically 22 minutes long with eight minutes of commercials. Jones and Walsh had previously worked together on the sketch comedy series CODCO, on which Thomey sometimes appeared as a guest. Mercer had been a notable young writer and performer on his own, touring several successful one-man shows of comedic political commentary. Salter Street Films produced the series until the 2003–2004 season. Salter Street was acquired in 2001 by Alliance Atlantis, and production of the series was transferred directly to Alliance Atlantis in the twelfth season. In 2005 Halifax Film, a new company formed by Salter co-founder Michael Donovan, took over production of the show. In 2006, Halifax Film merged with Decode Entertainment to form DHX Media (now WildBrain), which has produced the show since. In 2019, the rights were sold to IoM Media Ventures, which acquired DHX's Halifax studio the year prior.
Recognized with 24 Gemini Awards and 11 Canadian Comedy Awards, 22 Minutes is taped before a live audience within the old World Trade Centre in downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia. Its 28th season was taped at the Light House Arts Centre in Halifax with a smaller audience and crew. The series, which originally aired on Mondays for several seasons and later on Fridays, currently airs Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. on CBC. The series formerly followed the Rick Mercer Report.
Cast Although each cast member's real name was always shown at the beginning of each episode, at the end of most episodes prior to 2006, one cast member would sign off using their anchor character's name, which is noted below where known. This has now been discontinued, and anchors now regularly address each other by their real names.
Current members Mark Critch (2003–present), as anchor (formerly Bas MacLaren, apparently in homage to two well-known Newfoundland radio announcers, Bas Jamieson and George MacLaren) and various correspondents and sketch characters. Trent McClellan (2017–present) as anchor and various correspondents and sketch characters. Aba Amuquandoh (2021–present) as anchor and various correspondents and sketch characters. Stacey McGunnigle (2021–present) as anchor and various correspondents and sketch characters. Chris Wilson (2023–present) as anchor and various correspondents and sketch characters.
For the 2020 season, the show added Nik Sexton, Tom Stanley and Jon Sturge as field reporters covering the 2020 United States elections."For the first time, This Hour Has 22 Minutes will cover the U.S. election in the field". CBC News, October 1, 2020.
In addition to the main cast, some members of the show's writing team, including Heidi Brander, Adam Christie, Sophie Buddle, Aisha Brown, Nadine Bhabha, Isabel Kanaan, Brandon Ash-Mohammed, Jordan Foisy, Travis Lindsay, Ajahnis Charley, Dan Dillabough and Leonard Chan, have also appeared in sketches as supporting players.Bill Brioux, "CBC comedy ‘22 Minutes’ touts bigger, younger, more diverse cast and writing staff". Toronto Star, November 1, 2021. Wilson was promoted to a full cast member in the 2023-24 season, after having also been a writer and supporting player since 2021.J. Kelly Nestruck, "Can 22 Minutes’ Chris Wilson keep riding Canada’s love-hate relationship with Pierre Poilievre (and that Trudeau guy too) up the property ladder?". The Globe and Mail, January 25, 2024.
Mark McKinney joined the show in 2025 to play prime minister Mark Carney for the duration of the 2025 Canadian federal election.Debra Yeo, "Kid in the Hall Mark McKinney plays Mark Carney on ‘This Hour Has 22 Minutes’". Toronto Star, April 8, 2025.
Former members Cathy Jones (1993–2021) as anchor (formerly Sydney Dubizzenchyk, a reference to former CBC anchor Tina Srebotnjak, who had become the host of Midday in 1992) and various correspondents and sketch characters. Jones was the longest running anchor in the show's history, and the last of the show's four original cast members to leave. Rick Mercer (1993–2001) as anchor J. B. Dickson and various correspondents and sketch characters. Mercer left the show to devote more time to Made in Canada; after that show ended he launched Rick Mercer Report, a series similar to 22 Minutes. Colin Mochrie (2001–2003) as anchor Anthony St. George and various correspondents and sketch characters. Mochrie left the show after two seasons to pursue his own projects and other movie roles, returning to guest star on the January 27, 2006 episode. Mochrie was the first addition to the original cast, following the departure of Rick Mercer. Mary Walsh (1993–2004) as anchor Molly McGuire and various correspondents and sketch characters. Walsh appeared less often in season 11 and left the series to pursue her film career and to host Mary Walsh: Open Book, a CBC series in which she moderated a celebrity panel discussing books and literature. Walsh has returned to the show several times as a guest since her departure, most notably for a 2011 appearance in which Walsh, in character as Marg Delahunty, accosted controversial Toronto mayor Rob Ford in his driveway.Tristin Hopper, "Mayor Rob Ford calls police after ambush by 22 Minutes actress Mary Walsh". National Post, October 25, 2011. Greg Thomey (1993–2005) as anchor Frank MacMillan and various correspondents and sketch characters. Thomey appeared less often in season 12 and left the show in 2006. In season 22, Thomey has been appearing as a regular guest. Geri Hall (2007–2011), as anchor and various correspondents and sketch characters. Hall had previously been a fill-in anchor in fall 2004 and March 2007. Gavin Crawford (2003–2011) as anchor (formerly Gavin Cooper, a possible homage to Anderson Cooper) and various correspondents and sketch characters. Shaun Majumder (2003–2010, 2011–2018) as anchor (formerly Tucker T. Bartlett) and various correspondents and sketch characters. He appeared less often in his last couple of years with the show, and eventually left the series to star on Detroit 1-8-7, but returned to the show starting in the 19th season. He was fired from the show in June 2018 and made it public in August 2018, citing creative differences with a producer. Susan Kent (2012–2020) as anchor and various correspondents and sketch characters. Guest star multiple times in 2022.
Timeline
Substitute anchors/special correspondents Substitute news anchors on the series are people who "guest star" on the series for when series regulars are away (from Season 10 onwards).
Mark Farrell (February 1999) Jonathan Torrens (September/October 2002) Dan Joffre (February 2003) Jennifer Robertson (November and December 2003) Kathy Greenwood (October and November 2004) Shauna MacDonald (October 2005 – November 2005) Tracy Dawson (March 10, 2006) Rebecca Northan (November 2006 and March 2007) Nathan Fielder (2007, as special correspondent) Alan Thicke (2011, in a 1980s themed show) P. K. Subban (2012 season premiere) George Lazenby (November 27, 2012) Joel Plaskett (March 5, 2013) Meredith MacNeill, 9 episodes (2012–2017) Jennifer Whalen, head writer guested on-screen occasionally Abdul Butt (2013–2015, as special correspondent) Ross Rebagliati (February 4, 2014) Andrew Barber (Vancouver-based comedian and sole performer in "I'm In Love With Steven Harper" sketch, uploaded on April 2, 2015 on YouTube)
Regular characters and segments Talking to Americans Rick Mercer tours the United States, talking to Americans as if from a Canadian news program, asking them about "Canadian issues". The object is to see how little some Americans know about their northern neighbours. The piece was so popular that the CBC had Mercer create a one-hour TV special based on the segment. It became the highest rated comedy special in Canadian television history when it aired on Canada Day, 2001. Popular bits include Mercer getting Americans to say "Congratulations Canada on legalizing VCRs!" and getting a professor at Princeton University to sign a petition against the re-starting of the Annual Toronto Polar Bear Hunt. In an election 2000 segment, he convinced then-Governor of Texas George W. Bush that Canada's Prime Minister Jean Chrétien was named Jean Poutine and that he was supporting Bush's candidacy. The success of the CBC special got Mercer attention on numerous American media outlets, including ABC's Nightline. Mercer abandoned the concept after September 11, 2001. No Pun Intended A Ludacris-ish Indian rapper/politician played by Shaun Majumder who frequently raps about election issues and what he will do if elected.
Babe Bennett A 22 Minutes "sexual affairs correspondent" played by Cathy Jones, Babe is a sassy suffragette, 1940s style, who talks about sexual matters. She ends each segment by saying "I'm just goofin' around!" Marg Delahunty Mary Walsh crashes press conferences, hosts a "sleepover" for the nation's leading female (and gay) politicians, and threatens to "smite" the likes of politicians as "Marg Princess Warrior" (a loose parody of Xena). Mark Jackson 22 Minutes teenage correspondent that talks to politicians and who is played by Gavin Crawford. (The character is carried over from The Gavin Crawford Show.) Bas MacLaren A 22 Minutes correspondent portrayed by Mark Critch. He talks to politicians about current events and is also one of the 22 Minutes anchors.
Misses Enid & Eulalia Two elderly women who talk about daily events (portrayed by Cathy Jones and Mary Walsh, respectively). Upon Walsh's departure from the show, Jones has appeared alone as Miss Enid. (The characters were normally introduced as "the Misses Enid and Eulalia", meaning "Miss Enid and Miss Eulalia", but this was frequently misunderstood by viewers as "Mrs. Enid" and "Eulalia" without an honorific.) The characters were later reunited in the CBC Gem web series Broad Appeal: Living with E's. Streeters, aka The Rant. A weekly commentary on current events and political issues, which quickly became the show's most famous feature, by Rick Mercer in black and white presentations. This segment was later used in colour presentations on the Rick Mercer Report series. Max Pointy A spoof of CBC personality Rex Murphy's political commentaries for The National, performed by Colin Mochrie. Max would start off with a legitimate political issue but end up on an unrelated and generally inane point by the end of his rant. Discontinued when Mochrie left the show. That Show Sucked! with Ma and Eddie Reardon (portrayed by Mary Walsh & Greg Thomey) who make fun of TV shows, with Ma saying that whatever show that Eddie watches "Suck" and constantly demanding that he give her "the G. D. clickerbox". Discontinued when Walsh left the show.