Toronto media personality and writer Glenn Cochrane has died

TORONTO, Ont. – Toronto media personality and writer Glenn Cochrane has died at the age of 84.

Cochrane reported for CFTO’s daily Worldbeat and Nightbeat news for 25 years and  left viewers with a smile by scouring the city for eccentrics and unusual stories.

In recent years he was a staple of the Beach community writing for the Beach Metro news and penning e-books about Toronto.

Cochrane’s unique and entertaining weekly news report called “Our Man Friday” ran on CFTO for 25 years. He was considered the Canadian Andy Rooney.

CTV anchor Ken Shaw worked with him and always enjoyed his signature sign off.

“He would have a beautiful woman help him with the sign off and he would turn to the camera and mug – I don’t know where they come from,” Shaw told 680News. “Just a dear dear man and we miss him so much.”

Cochrane was an avid community supporter and fundraiser.

Founder of Crime Stoppers Gary Grant told 680News he was a cornerstone of the community.

“He was just a true character but also a very good news man who did it with good humour. You’d see him at community events, he wrote in the local community newspaper so he was a very large presence and he will certainly be sadly missed.”

Glenn published two books “Glenn Cochrane Tales of Toronto” and “The Beach: An Illustrated History from the Lake to Kingston Road” co-written with his wife Jean Cochrane.