TORONTO - Dina Pugliese can handle the heat 鈥 both in the kitchen and online.
When she returned as co-host of Citytv鈥檚 鈥淏reakfast Television鈥 in March after a two-year hiatus, many viewers were thrilled to see her back. Others, however, were less welcoming, voicing their frustration on social media.
Her comeback followed a wave of shakeups at 鈥淏T鈥: the abrupt departure of co-hosts Meredith Shaw and Sid Seixeiro just weeks after the network scrapped a planned spinoff featuring Cheryl Hickey and Tracy Moore.
Then, shortly after Pugliese鈥檚 much-publicized return, she took the summer off 鈥 part of which she spent filming the new Food Network competition series 鈥淏ake Master Battle.鈥 Cue another round of online backlash, with naysayers accusing her of bailing just as she came back.
鈥淚t sucks, it hurts,鈥 Pugliese says of the outrage, though it can be hard to tell what's genuine disappointment and what's vitriol for sport in the anonymous echo chambers of the internet.
鈥淓veryone's like, 鈥楧on't read it.鈥 How do you not, when you open up Instagram and that's all you see? My gosh, it stings. I鈥檓 human.鈥
Pugliese, who initially left 鈥淏T鈥 in 2023 citing burnout, points out most viewers know how much she鈥檚 poured into the show over the years.
鈥淔or 17 years, I dedicated every single day of my life to it, even while family members were going through serious health struggles, including my husband,鈥 she says.聽
Pugliese鈥檚 spouse, Alek Mirkovich, was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2014.
鈥淚 was going to the hospital every day for years, months on end, but I go to 鈥楤T鈥 in the morning and I compartmentalize my pain,鈥欌 she says during a phone interview.
鈥淚鈥檓 like, 鈥業 need to laugh. I need to take my mind off all of the woes and worries of the day.'"
Pugliese says Rogers execs asked if she would return 鈥渋n any capacity鈥 because they wanted to see more of her signature positivity on TV. On top of rejoining 鈥淏T鈥 as co-executive producer, she also set clear boundaries to help avoid burnout.
鈥淚 said, 鈥業f I step in, it has to look and feel different,鈥欌 she explains. 鈥淚 start an hour later now, I get more days off, and I was able to have the summer off 鈥 with a couple of weeks shooting 鈥楤ake Master Battle.鈥 The balance is definitely there now.鈥
The Rogers-produced 鈥淏ake Master Battle,鈥 premiering Wednesday, pits pairs of professional bakers from across Canada and abroad against each other in themed dessert challenges. Hosted by Pugliese with judges April Julian and Dwight Smith, the eight-episode series features seasonally inspired rounds with competitors racing through timed bakes for a $10,000 prize.
Pugliese says the show captures the sense of connection with the audience and teamwork that drew her back to TV in the first place.
鈥淚 feel like now most viewers understand that if I could come back in a capacity where it fills my soul, and we get to put good out into the world and maybe make somebody's scary day or health diagnosis go away for a second, then it鈥檚 (worth it),鈥 she says.
鈥淚 really believe laughter is medicine. That truly is what I feel I can contribute to the world 鈥 bring more light into the world. It's so dark. It鈥檚 so heavy. So if it means taking on some trolls here and there, what can I do?鈥澛
鈥淏ake Master Battle鈥 follows the recent trend of high-energy baking competition shows, including Netflix鈥檚 鈥淚s It Cake?鈥 鈥 which Julian was a cast member of 鈥 and CBC鈥檚 鈥淭he Great 好色tv Baking Show.鈥 Julian believes the popularity of these shows reflects viewers鈥 appetite for comforting entertainment in tumultuous times.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a feel-good nature to this particular show. The competitors still help each other, they cheer each other on,鈥 says the Toronto-based dessert maker.
鈥淚 think this is what people are craving 鈥 some good kind-heartedness in this world.鈥
Smith feels the baking trend truly took off during the pandemic.
鈥淭here was the sourdough craze, and then I think where it finished off was in the baking craze,鈥 says the Toronto-based red seal chef.聽
鈥淓verybody is just really infatuated with being able to bake at home and what they're capable of, and I think these shows tap into that.鈥
Pugliese says baking provided a vital outlet during her time away from TV.
鈥淚 completely nested 鈥 I was cleaning, I was baking, I was cooking more than ever, I went for long walks,鈥 she says.
鈥淏aking's tough. It's truly a science鈥 聽I made a lot of crappy cottage cheese, ricotta cheesecakes, all that stuff you see online. Sometimes it was decent. Sometimes it wasn't."
She's now hoping to whisk up some positivity in an era of division.
"The world needs more joy, it needs more good times, it needs more comfort food, and hopefully this is going to do all that."
This report by 好色tvwas first published Oct. 20, 2025.聽
