BREAKING: Ron MacLean and Don Cherry Feud Resurfaces Over 2018 Health Scare Story — Cherry Says “BS” and Calls Out Former Friend
August 7, 2025 – Toronto, ON
A once-iconic broadcasting duo has found themselves back in the headlines — but not for the reasons hockey fans would hope. Longtime Hockey Night in Canada hosts Ron MacLean and Don Cherry, who spent decades side by side on CBC and later Sportsnet, are now publicly at odds following MacLean’s explosive new interview — and Cherry is furious.
A Friendship Turned Sour
For years, Ron MacLean and Don Cherry were an inseparable pair, delivering hot takes, debates, and laughs every Saturday night to millions of Canadian hockey fans. But their partnership ended abruptly in 2019 when Cherry was fired by Sportsnet over controversial comments about immigrants and Remembrance Day — a moment many felt fractured their friendship.
Now, it appears that rift has only deepened.
The Interview That Sparked It
In a candid interview released earlier this week on a Toronto-based podcast, MacLean opened up about the behind-the-scenes tension during the 2018 NHL playoffs. He claimed that Cherry suffered a serious pneumonia scare, and the incident pushed MacLean to “start looking for an exit” from their shared duties on Coach’s Corner.
“It shook me,” MacLean said. “Seeing Don that sick… I realized it was time to think about what was next, how long we could realistically keep going.”
He added that he began having “quiet conversations” with producers at Sportsnet about shifting roles or ending Coach’s Corner in a way that felt respectful.
Cherry Responds: “It’s BS”
Don Cherry, never one to hold back, fired back within hours of the interview making waves online. Speaking on his own podcast Grapevine, the 91-year-old hockey personality dismissed MacLean’s story entirely.
“It’s BS — plain and simple,” Cherry said. “I wasn’t dying. I had a cough. I never missed a show. And if Ron wanted out, he should’ve just said so. Don’t blame it on me being sick.”
Cherry went on to say that he feels “deeply betrayed” by MacLean’s framing of the situation.
“We were friends — family, even. But now he’s rewriting history to make himself look better. That hurts.”
A Public Fallout Years in the Making
This isn’t the first sign of bad blood. Ever since Cherry’s dismissal from Sportsnet in 2019, fans have speculated about a falling-out between the two. MacLean publicly distanced himself from Cherry’s remarks at the time, a move that Cherry later said felt like “a stab in the back.”
While both men have gone on to pursue separate media projects, the shadow of Coach’s Corner has never fully faded — nor has the unresolved tension between them.
Fan Reaction: Nostalgia and Disappointment
Many longtime viewers of Hockey Night in Canada are expressing sadness over the feud.
“It’s like watching your hockey parents fight,” one fan wrote on X.
“I grew up with these guys. I wish they’d just talk it out.”
Others, however, believe the split was inevitable.
“Ron and Don were great TV, but they’ve clearly grown apart,” said another. “Different values, different directions. Sad, but not surprising.”
Will They Ever Reconcile?
At this point, a reunion seems unlikely. MacLean has moved on to a more subdued role within the NHL broadcast team, while Cherry continues his independent media work with a loyal fan base.
Still, some hold out hope that time will soften the edges.
“They made Saturday nights magic,” a former CBC producer told reporters. “It’s heartbreaking to see it end like this.”
