Lisa Canning

Lisa Canning (born November 7, 1966) is an American television and radio host, entertainment correspondent, and actress.^[1] Born in Saint Thomas in the United States Virgin Islands, Canning began her professional broadcasting career in radio at age 17 at a station in St. Thomas, after working at her high school station, before transitioning to roles in Orlando, Florida, and St. Louis, Missouri.^[2] By her early 20s, she had relocated to Los Angeles, where she became a morning DJ at KDAY-AM and served as the on-air sidekick for Rick Dees on ABC's Into the Night Starring Rick Dees.^[2] Canning rose to national prominence as an on-air correspondent for Entertainment Tonight from 1996 to 1999, covering celebrity news and events for the syndicated entertainment magazine.^[1] She hosted the game show Destination Stardom in 1999 and co-hosted ABC's 2000 Live Emmy Pre-Show.^[1] In 2005, she co-hosted the inaugural season of Dancing with the Stars alongside Tom Bergeron, introducing audiences to the celebrity ballroom competition format before being replaced for season 2.^[3] As an actress, Canning has appeared in films including a cameo as a masked reporter in Scream (1996) and as an L.A. anchorwoman in The Day After Tomorrow (2004).^[1] Her television guest and recurring roles span shows such as General Hospital, Scandal, Parenthood, Shameless, Mistresses, Vice Principals, and The Young and the Restless, where she played a series regular.^[4] Canning resides in Los Angeles, where she pursues interests in yoga, travel, painting, and public speaking.^[1]

Early life

Childhood

Lisa Canning was born on November 7, 1966, in Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.^[1] As a U.S. citizen by birth in an American territory, she grew up in the island's Caribbean environment. During her formative years in Saint Thomas, Canning developed an early interest in broadcasting through involvement in her high school radio station, where she gained initial hands-on experience with on-air work.^[2] This exposure to media at a young age sparked her passion for radio, setting the foundation for her professional pursuits.^[2] At age 17 in the early 1980s, Canning secured her first professional radio job at a local station in Saint Thomas, marking her entry into the industry despite initial nervousness—she began by simply announcing the time and temperature while scripting every segment.^[2] She later worked at radio stations in Orlando, Florida, and St. Louis, Missouri, before relocating to Los Angeles in her early 20s. Her island upbringing and these early media experiences profoundly shaped her career interests, blending a sense of adventure with a drive for communication.^[2]

Education

Lisa Canning attended high school in Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, where she gained her initial media experience by working at the school's radio station.^[2] This early involvement allowed her to develop self-taught skills in broadcasting, as she scripted her announcements initially out of nervousness before building confidence on air.^[2] At age 17, Canning entered professional radio on the island, working at a St. Thomas station, which profoundly influenced her communication style through hands-on exposure to live broadcasting.^[2] These formative experiences in the Virgin Islands emphasized practical learning, shaping her versatile approach to media presentation. She relied on this self-directed apprenticeship to prepare for a professional career. In her early 20s, Canning relocated from the Virgin Islands to Los Angeles, using her rent money to fund the trip and pursue broadcasting opportunities.^[2] Upon arrival, she convinced the program director at KDAY-AM to hire her, marking her entry into the Los Angeles radio scene as a deejay hosting the morning show from 6 to 9 a.m.^[2] This initial role as a deejay and sidekick built directly on her island-honed skills, transitioning her from amateur to professional media work.

Career

Radio

Lisa Canning began her professional radio career in Los Angeles in 1988, joining KDAY-AM as a deejay, producer, and music director.^[2] She hosted the morning show from 6 to 9 a.m., starting with basic scripted segments like announcing the time and temperature before developing into a more dynamic on-air presence.^[2] Over her four years at the station, Canning rose to become its top-rated deejay, honing her skills in music selection and live broadcasting at this influential urban contemporary outlet.^[5] In the early 1990s, Canning served as a sidekick and contributor to Rick Dees' radio programs, including segments on his KIIS-FM morning show where she handled social issues discussions on Fridays as part of "The Joint." These on-air dynamics involved collaborative banter and audience interaction, allowing her to engage listeners on topical matters while supporting Dees' humorous style. By late 1995, she expanded this role to become the announcer for Dees' syndicated "Weekly Top 40" radio countdown, voicing introductions and transitions for the nationally distributed program.^[5] Canning's radio tenure progressed to hosting her own segments at major Los Angeles stations, including a stint at KJLH in 1990 and later at KKBT (92.3 The Beat) from 1993 to 1997, where she continued as a prominent urban radio personality.^[5] Her work across these outlets emphasized audience engagement through music curation and talk formats, solidifying her reputation in the competitive LA market. This phase of her career built foundational skills in live hosting, improvisation, and connecting with diverse listeners, which shaped her enduring media persona as a versatile broadcaster.^[2]

Television

Canning rose to national prominence as an on-air correspondent for Entertainment Tonight from 1996 to 1999, covering celebrity news and events for the syndicated entertainment magazine.^[1] She hosted the game show Destination Stardom in 1989 and co-hosted ABC's 2000 Live Emmy Pre-Show.^[1] In 2005, she co-hosted the inaugural season of Dancing with the Stars alongside Tom Bergeron, introducing audiences to the celebrity ballroom competition format before being replaced for season 2.^[3] She also co-hosted the syndicated series Knights and Warriors from 1992 to 1993.^[1]

Acting

Lisa Canning entered the acting profession in the early 1990s as a secondary pursuit to her established career in radio and television hosting. Her initial on-screen acting appearances included roles in the action series Baywatch in 1992 and 1994, where she portrayed characters such as Cookie Washington and Dawn.^[6] This timing coincided with her growing prominence as a host on shows like Knights and Warriors from 1992 to 1993.^[1] Throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s, Canning took on small roles in feature films, including the masked reporter in the horror film Scream (1996) and a part in An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn (1997).^[1] She also expanded into television with appearances in episodic dramas and comedies, such as a reporter in Charmed (2004) and Lydia Johnson in CSI: Miami (2005).^[7] Her media experience from hosting facilitated seamless integration into these scripted formats.^[1] Canning demonstrated versatility through recurring and guest roles in soap operas, including Meg Lawson on General Hospital (1994) and multiple characters like Dr. Joyce Griffith on The Bold and the Beautiful in later years.^[6] Additional guest spots highlighted her range, with co-starring appearances in series such as Drake & Josh, Parenthood, and Scandal.^[4] More recently, she has continued with co-star roles in shows like Shameless and Vice Principals, as well as in the film Bombshell (2019).^[7][4] Despite these endeavors, Canning's acting career has remained a complement to her primary work in broadcasting, where she gained widespread recognition as a correspondent for Entertainment Tonight from 1996 to 1999 and co-host of Dancing with the Stars in 2005.^[1] This balance allowed her to leverage her on-camera presence across both fields without fully transitioning from hosting.^[1] Below is a chronological listing of her verified television acting roles.

Personal life

Family

Lisa Canning has been married to Harold Austin since 2000.^[8] The couple maintains a private personal life centered on their partnership, with no public records indicating children.^[1] She has a half-sister, Sandra Canning.^[1] They reside in Los Angeles, California.^[1]

Interests

Lisa Canning has a passion for travel.^[1] She practices yoga.^[1] Canning works with underprivileged children.^[1]

Filmography

Film

Lisa Canning made her feature film debut in the horror slasher Scream (1996), directed by Wes Craven, where she appeared as a minor character known as the Reporter with Mask, contributing to the film's media frenzy subplot.^[9] She next appeared in Intermission (2004), an American comedy short film directed by Laura Cayouette, playing the role of Perfume Admirer in a scene set in a women's restroom.^[10] In 2004, Canning had a supporting role as L.A. Anchorwoman in Roland Emmerich's disaster epic The Day After Tomorrow, part of the ensemble cast reporting on the escalating global climate catastrophe.^[11] In 2019, she appeared in Bombshell as Harris Faulkner.^[12]

Television

Lisa Canning's television acting credits span guest appearances, recurring roles in soap operas, and cameos in procedural dramas, often portraying reporters, anchors, or supporting characters. Her work includes notable stints on daytime soaps and episodic roles in prime-time series. Below is a chronological listing of her verified television roles.

• Baywatch (1992–1994): Appeared in two episodes as Cookie Washington ("Lifeguards Can't Jump") and Dawn ("Rescue Bay").
• General Hospital (1994): Portrayed nurse Meg Lawson in a recurring role from March to May.
• Weird Science (1994): Played Lincoln in the episode "Unplugged."
• Veronica's Closet (1997): Guest appearance as herself in one episode.
• Charmed (2004): Guest-starred as Reporter #1 in one episode.
• Drake & Josh (2004): Appeared as Reporter #1 in one episode.
• The Young and the Restless (2004–2005): Recurring role as Adrienne Markham across multiple episodes.
• CSI: Miami (2005): Played Lydia Johnson, a victim accidentally shot during a hostage situation, in the episode "Felony Flight."
• CSI: NY (2005): Portrayed Lydia Johnson in the episode "Manhattan Manhunt."
• The Bold and the Beautiful (2006): Guest role as Elizabeth Jordan in one episode.
• Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008): Cameo as News Anchor in one episode.
• The Bold and the Beautiful (2009): Appeared as Chanel in one episode.
• Hollywood Heights (2012): Guest-starred as Julie Calvin in one episode.
• Scandal (2012): Played Anchor in one episode.
• Parenthood (2014): Appeared as Real Estate Agent in one episode.
• Red Band Society (2014): Guest role as Therapy Leader in one episode.
• Mistresses (2016): Portrayed Prosecutor in one episode.
• Shameless (2017): Played Aditi Harman in the episode "Occupy Fiona."^[13]
• Vice Principals (2017): Played Brenda Poutine in the episode "Spring Break."^[14]
• The Bold and the Beautiful (2019–2021): Recurring role as Dr. Joyce Griffith across multiple episodes, including appearances in 2020 and 2021.