'We had such a special connection': Colleagues recall working with Darrel Janz over his 50 year career at CTV Calgary

Barb Higgins says hearing Darrel Janz died left her feeling numb.

Barb Higgins says hearing Darrel Janz died left her feeling numb.

 Higgins spent 21 years co-anchoring the 6 p.m. CTV News with Janz, becoming the number one newscast in the city, and along the way, she developed a warm friendship with her co-anchor.

She met Janz for the first time in 1989, the day she came for the job interview.

"I met him in the dressing room getting ready to go on the set to audition with Darrel, and our eyes met in the mirror as he walked in the back, and I spun around and our eyes met, and we clicked, and we both talked about it after," she said.

"We both knew in that moment that there was chemistry, and we were able to enjoy that chemistry together for 21 years."

The pair spent more than two decades on the anchor desk and, while it's hard to pick a favourite story or broadcast, she says their election coverage stands out. They would play off each other's strengths and when they had to fill time, Darrel was an excellent ad-libber.