‘There Are Lots of Tears With This Project, and They’re All Tears of Joy,’ Says Host Tyrone Edwards of THE TAKE BACK

By BILL HARRIS Special to The Lede THE TAKE BACK serves as a big pat on the back for people who work tirelessly to help others, and have missed out on certain things in their own lives because of their selflessness, according to host Tyrone Edwards. The one-hour special, which premieres Friday, Nov. 24 at 8 p.m. ET on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app, focuses on two individuals: Hartley, a 14-year-old fundraiser and ambassador for SickKids Hospital; and Keesa K., founder of the community basketball organization HoopQueens. With guests Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Robbie Amell, Trish Stratus, TOBi, Sheryl Swoopes, Tamara Tatham, Cheyenne Parker, and Mike Morreale, ETALK’s Edwards steers viewers through the planning of a special birthday party for Hartley, and a gala launch event for Keesa K. Here’s what Edwards had to say about THE TAKE BACK, and why the concept is so near and dear to him: Q: First of all, while you’re hosting THE TAKE BACK, you can be seen playing hoops, running after errant balls, riding roller coasters … so, is this also your unofficial audition for THE AMAZING RACE CANADA? TYRONE EDWARDS (laughing hard): “You know what? It’s a great question. And even though I wasn’t really auditioning, I hope that this will be accepted as my audition, let’s say that. There are a couple of these shows that I would really like to be on. Like, even THE TRAITORS CANADA, that looks like so much fun.” Q: Auditions for CTV reality series aside, how was it determined which two individuals would be honoured on THE TAKE BACK? TYRONE EDWARDS: “I think what we would all agree upon, whether it’s production, or all parties involved, is that both people who are featured are the types who do so much for other people. They have their own hardships, or they have missed out on something in their own lives, but they still just always want to do something for others. And that’s why it was so special to then do something for them. That’s why they were nominated by the people in their lives, who were saying, ‘we really want Keesa to have her second chance at this,’ or, ‘we would really like to do something special for Hartley, because no matter what he goes through, or how challenging his day-to-day is, he’s still always doing something for the hospital, or for his family.’ It just became such a special thing for me to even be a part of, honestly.” Q: Knowing that you do a lot of great community work yourself, do you find that there’s a commonality in the personalities of the people who have the ability and the drive to take on these responsibilities? TYRONE EDWARDS: “No one has ever asked me that. And I think I have the answer immediately. I think it really comes down to this: if you feel better by making someone else feel better, that will follow you all the days of your life. So for example, I love to love. I enjoy helping other people. That literally charges my battery. If I can pay someone a compliment, or make their day easier, or connect them with someone who could really help them along with a project, I don’t know why, but there’s just something so enjoyable about that. So I think that is the common thread. People who really find enjoyment in helping other people – that’s the characteristic I think you’re describing.” Q: And doing good things for others gets into the air, kind of like Wi-Fi, right? It inspires you to do more, and inspires others to get involved, too. TYRONE EDWARDS: “It’s the ecosystem, 100%, and I think that’s exactly what happened on set. They asked me to host the show, and full disclosure, they said, ‘this is perfect for you, because this is what you attempt to do in your real life.’ So imagine putting me on set with Hartley – of course, I’m going to fall in love with the young man, because he could have excuses as to why he doesn’t want to do more, but he doesn’t use them. He is energized by helping others. So you put him on set with myself, with a bunch of other people who are like-minded, the people who came up with the concept for the show, the special guests, and these take-back moments become over-the-top meaningful. This is not just TV. This is something that Hartley wanted, this is something Keesa really missed, and when we were able to provide it for them, that filled my heart. There are lots of tears with this project, and they’re all tears of joy.” Q: There’s one moment that occurs with Hartley, when he meets someone who he didn’t expect to meet, and the look on his face is priceless. He almost loses his breath. I won’t spoil it for the viewers, but it really stood out for me. TYRONE EDWARDS: “Listen, do you know how satisfying it is to hear you say that? And for you to isolate that moment? I’ll tell you why. You know sometimes when you’re telling a story, and you’re like, ‘ahh, you had to be there,’ and it’s difficult to describe it? For me, this was a huge moment with Hartley, because it was so genuine, it was so real, it meant so much to him. It’s not like we gave him a gift, and he was very kind and had good manners and said thank you. Like, this blew him away. I’m really glad you picked up on that. Kudos to our production team to be able to capture that moment, because sometimes those things get lost in translation, or lost on camera, but it obviously wasn’t this time around. I’m excited for people to watch this.” Q: We do live in a world with a lot of bad stories, so you obviously believe that it’s important to tell some good stories, too. TYRONE EDWARDS: “I made a commitment to myself a long time ago, and it goes for on camera and off camera. No matter what goes on in this world, I still believe in good people, I still believe in justice, and furthermore, I believe in love. So I will always, always, always, always try my best to amplify those stories. This is something that Hartley and his family, and Keesa and her entire basketball community, will never ever forget. Obviously, we want everybody to watch the show. But even beyond that, these moments actually happened. These people’s lives are impacted forever as a result. And I’m standing by it, with a big ol’ smile coming from my heart.” billharristv@gmail.com @billharris_tv