Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio (No place like home!)
Education: Holy Name High School, Kent State University
Current Position/Job Duties: Good Morning Cleveland Reporter
Previous Work Experience: 6 years at WPXI in Pittsburgh, PA (Don't hold it against me. Still can't name a single player on the Steelers roster.), 2 years at WTOL in Toledo, OH and 2 years at WJET in Erie, PA.
Joined News 5: July 2022, interned back in 2010 with Joe Pagonakis in the Troubleshooter Unit.
Email: Mike.Holden@wews.com
Twitter: @MikeHoldenNews
Most Memorable Stories: Interviewing kidnapping survivor Elizabeth Smart, living undercover as a homeless adult in Erie to uncover the lack of bed space, the Toledo water crisis, Pope Francis’ pilgrimage to Philadelphia, Tree of Life synagogue mass shooting in Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh’s sinkhole bus, the passing of rapper Mac Miller and countless water main breaks. (Love & live for breaking news & stories involving animals.)
Awards/Honors:
-Ohio Associated Press—Best Reporter & Best Breaking News
-Emmys-Best Reporter, Best Breaking News, Best Morning Show
News Philosophy: Everyone deserves to have their story told. It’s all about the people!
Role Model: My mom, Cindy
Favorite Sports Teams: Cleveland Guardians, Monsters, Browns & the Cavs—obviously.
Favorite Music: Pop, hip-hop, rap…. I have the worst taste in music! If I can hum it, and it’s fast and upbeat I’m all about it. (I thought Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” was the best song ever created when it first came out... Lol.)
Favorite Movie: The Goonies, Little Miss Sunshine, Bridesmaids, Dumb & Dumber, Pieces of April
Favorite Program: Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Girls, the news & way too much Bravo/Real Housewives
Favorite Book: Tuesdays With Morrie, Catcher in the Rye, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Howard Stern Private Parts
Favorite Food: Pizza, fried chicken, Italian, donuts… I’m about to gain 25 pounds after moving home!
Family: My entire family is in the greater Cleveland area!
Pet: A yellow & chocolate lab… And soon to be a pug.
Hobbies & Interests: Hanging with friends and family, watching endless hours of news and ratchet reality TV, catching up on sleep and going out to new restaurants!
You're most likely to see me around town at: Any place that serves food or bakery! Little Italy… Lakewood… Tremont… Parma. And I love the theatre scene at Playhouse Square!
Hidden Talent: I can do really good impressions of pretty much anyone. And I can snap my fingers off any part of my body. (It’s so weird.)
Something most people don't know about me: I come from a die-hard Cleveland hockey family. Grew up in ice rinks, following in my two older brothers' footsteps. I played for 14 years —from the Parma Flyers to high school at Holy Name—until I had to have hip surgery.
What I like best about Northeast Ohio: It’s home! The people, the food, the vibe. I’m so happy to be back.
On the weekends I love to: Sleep super late, drink coffee, watch the Food Network and catch up with friends and family.
Additional Info You Want People to Know about You: I genuinely enjoy talking to people and getting to know everyone. I’m super open. If you see me out and about, come say hi. Don’t be shy! I’m always looking for a story, a way to help or something fun to do.
