MicCHEK

On this episode we break down the historic wildfire season in BC with the Mayor of Port Alberni Sharie Minions. We also speak to Sidney firefighter Steve Harman who was deployed multiple times to help fight the flames.

On this episode we are joined by Jack Knox (TC Columnist/Author) & Joanne Sasvari (Page One Publishing/Author). The group discusses the evolving media landscape and how journalism & writing has changed over the years. They also unveil their 3 favourite books for 2023!

Paul is joined by BC Sports Broadcasting legends Don Taylor & Rick Dhaliwal ahead of the new season of 'Donnie and Dhali - TheTeam' on CHEK. The guys discuss the show, their careers and the future of sports broadcasting. They also play an island edition of 'Stump the Sports Guy' and take part in a 'Quick Shift!'

Paul is joined by Jenny West (Zone 91.3) & Mike Devlin (Times Colonist) to talk about Victoria’s music scene & attracting big bands to the island. The group then makes their picks on ‘the song that defined every decade’ starting from the 1960’s.

Paul chats with comedian Kevin Banner and Canucks Defenceman Matt Irwin. Banner is from Sooke, BC, and talks about his new comedy special 'Heavy Favourite'. Irwin is from Brentwood Bay and signed with the Canucks in the summer of 2023. Paul jumps on the ice with Matt, and takes a tumble...enjoy!

Paul Haysom takes over MicCHEK by getting to know some familiar faces at CHEK including former host Joe Perkins, Hannah Lepine and Kyle Lancaster. Tune in for the revival of the ‘Quick Shift!’

We're back on the hunt to showcase some of the newest culinary offerings in Greater Victoria. In this episode, Joe reviews some of the newest spots in the region as well as two popular spots for a drink in the morning and at night, that are worth revisiting if you haven't gone lately.

In this episode we ask whether it's time for the City of Victoria to try and bring the Juno Awards to the capital city. We'll take a look back at past attempts to bring the music show to Vancouver Island and talk to several people who know what it takes to land Canada's biggest night in music.

Do coffee! Do coffee! After several requests for coffee content we decided we'd revisit one of our more popular discussions featuring Captain Nespresso (aka. CHEK's Rob Shaw). Enjoy this MicCHEK Rewind featuring some of our favourite coffee shops in Victoria (Episode first aired June 2021).

What restaurants in Greater Victoria do you eat at so often it's borderline embarrassing? That's what we discuss in this episode with Bonnie Todd from Off the Eaten Track and Amy Ayer from 49 Below. We'll each lay out five spots that have turned us into repeat customers and discuss specific dishes we can't get enough of.

Vancouver Island is in the midst of a pro wrestling boom. Attendance is up at local shows, and word is spreading about the island's own local wrestling league. In this episode, we sit down with two pro wrestlers, Rose and Dane Loucks (AKA "Damien Canes") to learn a bit more about their passion and what's pulling them into the ring.

Victoria's tourism sector has had a remarkable bounceback following the pandemic but work is still underway to get Victoria on the radar of travellers in the US. In this episode we sit down with a couple of industry leaders to discuss the state of tourism in Greater Victoria and what needs to happen to get more people to our slice of paradise.

Looking for a new place to grab a bite? In this episode Joe reviews some of the newest businesses in Greater Victoria's food scene.

In 1984, 24-year-old Mark Sutton became a bit of a household name on Vancouver Island when he decided to pursue a Guinness World Record for pole sitting. Perched on top of a pole at the corner of Herald and Store (near the Value Village today), Sutton spent 488 days living in a makeshift tree house. In this episode Joe shares what he's learned about Mar and his story and revisits some of the more...

Arnold Lim's been a photojournalist in Victoria for more than a decade but his real passion is making films. This week his new short film "My Name Is Arnold" is making its Vancouver Island debut at the Victoria Film Festival. In this episode we discuss what it was like being a Korean-Canadian boy growing up in rural British Columbia. We also chat about the film industry locally, the struggles for...

In this episode we discuss overcoming adversity with a guy who has bounced back from two traumatic brain injuries. In 2014 Dan MacQueen had everything going for him when out of the blue he was told to go to the hospital. His life was about to change forever. In this conversation Dan shares his story and explains what it was like to relearn how to walk, talk, and smile and the lessons he learned ta...

It's been one of the most talked about Victoria council decisions of 2023. In this episode we sit down with the man behind the floating barge that's been cleared to set up shop in the city's inner harbour. HAVN CEO Nick Van Buren joins us to discuss where this idea came from, how it turned into a reality, and what people can expect when the floating sauna eventually welcomes customers on board.

Time to put the food on hold for an episode and talk about some local businesses that don't specialize in cuisine. In this episode Kyle and Joe pick some of their favourite non-food local businesses that deserve some love and attention.

When Tess van Straaten went on air on New Year's Eve to deliver the weather on CHEK News, she never imagined that weeks later she'd be discussing what she wore that night (she never thought she'd EVER have to talk about it). In this episode we discuss an email that has become news around the world, and the sleeveless dress that (almost) offended one viewer.

To wrap up the year we've invited two of our favourite guests back onto the podcast to give us their 2022 CHEKie Award winners for top restaurant of the year. This is our second year handing out the highly coveted CHEKie Award. In this episode we compile 20 locations that we believe were industry leaders in cuisine over the last year.

How did a single Instagram post turn into one of the most popular sandwiches we've ever encountered in all our years covering food on Vancouver Island? In this episode we sit down with Julie, the woman behind HERO, an Italian Deli pop-up in Victoria (Interview begins at 11:30).

In this episode Joe and Kyle discuss the 1966 plan to erect a massive observation deck near the Legislature that would give people a bird’s-eye view of the capital city.

It's been a while since we've had a food chat and a lot can change in a few weeks. In this episode Joe discusses his new love of matcha, a breakfast sandwich that deserves recognition, and a sandwich so tasty it's worth traveling to Salt Spring for.

One of the questions that gets asked a lot is what's being done to fix BC's toxic drug supply and stop the alarming number of overdoses in this province. In this episode we hear from two people who are part of a unique program aimed at giving construction workers access to harm reduction services.

Chances are Sharon Lam has drawn one of your favourite places in Victoria. From restaurants to buildings, to shops and pubs. If it's popular in the capital region then Lam has probably sat down with her iPad and has created a digital masterpiece of it. We're big fans of Lam but have never had a chance to sit down and talk to her until now. In this episode we learn about her past, her craft, and th...