Global Television’s senior news anchor Leslie Roberts has resigned, following a Toronto Star investigation into conflict of interest allegations involving a public relations company he co-owns. Clients of the PR firm appeared on his shows with no disclosure.

“I am resigning my position as news anchor and executive editor of Global Toronto effective immediately,” Roberts said in a brief statement.

“I regret the circumstances, specifically a failure to disclose information, which led to this outcome.”

Global said it conducted two internal investigations, one by senior news official Ron Waksman, head of editorial standards, and the other by Global’s human resources department. In a statement, Global said, “Global News remains committed to balanced and ethical journalism produced in the public’s interest.”

The Star story revealed that Roberts was partners with Kashif Khan, a Toronto auctioneer and occasional diamond seller, who set up BuzzPR with Roberts two years ago. The Star documented numerous cases in which clients of the firm appeared on Global, often with Roberts interviewing them either on the nightly news or the national Global Morning show.

“Over the past 15 years, I have worked within a news organization and among colleagues who are the best in the business,” Roberts said in his statement. “For that privilege, I will always be grateful.”

Roberts was suspended by Global last week.

In a lengthy interview with the Star before his suspension, Roberts said his involvement in BuzzPR never interfered with his work as a newsman. He initially dismissed the PR work as similar to other jobs he has had in the field of journalism.

“I am not a one-trick pony. I have always done freelance work.”

When the Star noted that being a part-owner of a PR firm whose guests — lawyers, a motivational speaker, etc. — appeared on his shows was different, Roberts acknowledged that “this doesn’t look very good.”

Roberts also noted he is close personal friends with Mayor John Tory. “Am I supposed to disclose that on the air?”

Amanda Galbraith, Tory’s spokesperson, said the mayor had no comment on Roberts’ resignation. Tory and Roberts once co-hosted Focus Ontario on Global.

In describing his work for BuzzPR, Roberts said he provided media training to clients and helped them with their pitches. He said he never “crossed the line” and never pitched a client to Global. That was done by people who worked for BuzzPR, the small company he co-owned.

Initially, Roberts said he would resign from the PR firm. After the story broke in the Star, journalists — including two at the Star — realized they had been pitched by Roberts to provide coverage on BuzzPR clients.

In the review conducted by the Star, the paper saw examples on Global of clients being directly profiled and also of Roberts blurting out a positive pitch for one client while doing a story on another issue (drive-through groceries) that was only slightly related.

Asked last week if Global or his many news colleagues knew about his BuzzPR work, Roberts said, “I don’t know if they know.”

Roberts said his habit was to do the national morning show, then go to BuzzPR to help with client issues, and then return to Global in afternoon to prepare for the evening news.

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“Integrity is my middle name,” Roberts said.

In addition to BuzzPR clients appearing interviews with Roberts, other Global journalists and hosts interviewed clients, apparently without knowledge of the connection.

Global spokesperson Rishma Govani said she could not comment on whether Roberts was given any payout as a result of his resignation. Roberts could not be reached for comment.