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WELCOME TO PARADISE: Transcripts | Listen

Love, marriage… and a secret history of trauma. Anna Maria Tremonti has been keeping her past a secret for over 40 years. As one of Canada’s most respected journalists, she has a reputation for being fearless and hard-hitting. She’s reported from some of the world’s most dangerous conflict zones. But none were as immediately threatening as life at home. In her early 20s, she fell in love with a man who seemed worldly and charming. Behind closed doors he was incredibly violent. They were only married for a year but the consequences of the abuse have lasted a lifetime. This is the first time Anna Maria has told anyone—including family or close friends—the details of what she endured. Working with her therapist, she reveals the intimate details of a past she’s kept to herself for most of her life. The result is a profoundly intimate portrait of a powerful woman confronting the source of tremendous pain and trauma and, remarkably, freeing herself from a life-long sense of shame. Written and hosted by Anna Maria Tremonti (The Current), produced by Daemon Fairless (Hunting Warhead, Boys Like Me) and mixed by Mira Burt-Wintonick (Wiretap, Love Me, Sorry About The Kid).

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Welcome to Paradise written in black on beige background, over an illustration of a photograph of a bride and groom. The illustration is torn, with the upper portion in pieces. Episode Transcripts written in white on brown background.
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Love, marriage… and a secret history of trauma. Anna Maria Tremonti has been keeping her past a secret for over 40 years. As one of Canada's most respected journalists, she has a reputation for being fearless and hard-hitting. She's reported from some of the world's most dangerous conflict zones. But none were as immediately threatening as life at home.

In her early 20s, she fell in love with a man who seemed worldly and charming. Behind closed doors he was incredibly violent. They were only married for a year but the consequences of the abuse have lasted a lifetime.

This is the first time Anna Maria has told anyone—including family or close friends—the details of what she endured. Working with her therapist, she reveals the intimate details of a past she's kept to herself for most of her life.

The result is a profoundly intimate portrait of a powerful woman confronting the source of tremendous pain and trauma and, remarkably, freeing herself from a life-long sense of shame. Written and hosted by Anna Maria Tremonti (The Current), produced by Daemon Fairless (Hunting Warhead, Boys Like Me) and mixed by Mira Burt-Wintonick (Wiretap, Love Me, Sorry About The Kid).

If you or someone you know is affected by intimate partner violence, you can find a list of resources at https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/resource-list-welcome-to-paradise-1.6328619.

 

Hear the Trailer: 

2:10Introducing: Welcome to Paradise
The secret's out. As one of Canada’s most respected journalists, Anna Maria Tremonti has a reputation for being fearless. She’s reported from some of the world’s most dangerous conflict zones. But there’s one story she’s never made public: when she was 23 years old, she married a man who beat her. Their marriage only lasted one year but the consequences of that abuse lasted a lifetime. Now she's telling her own story. Welcome to Paradise launches February 15. If you or someone you know is affected by intimate partner violence, you can find a list of resources at cbc.ca/WTPresources.

 

EPISODES

Episode 1: One of Those People You Hear About

Ready to reveal her longest-held secret, Anna Maria Tremonti talks to her therapist about a trauma from 40 years ago that's the source of shame and self-loathing. She's reported on gender-based violence many times as a journalist, including from war zones – but this time, she's telling her own story.

29:55Ep. 1: “One of Those People You Hear About”

Access the transcript for Episode 1 here.

 

Episode 2: See What You Made Me Do

Pat seems charming, funny and worldly – the perfect husband. But shortly after their wedding, Anna Maria discovers the man she's married is an entirely different person behind closed doors.

29:43Ep. 2: “See What You Made Me Do”

Access the transcript for Episode 2 here.

 

Episode 3: L is for Love

Anna Maria is living a double life. In public she and Pat seem like the perfect couple. At home, he's becoming increasingly violent.

33:13Ep. 3: “L is for Love”

Access the transcript for Episode 3 here.

 

Episode 4: The Long Tail

Getting out is only half the battle. After separating from her abusive husband, Anna Maria faces the most dangerous period of the relationship… and long-term emotional fallout that follows her for years.

29:00Ep. 4: “The Long Tail”

Access the transcript for Episode 4 here.

 

Episode 5: The Message

As Anna Maria prepares to contact Pat, she makes a startling discovery.

31:12Ep. 5: "The Message"

Access the transcript for Episode 5 here.

 

Episode 6: The Visitation

Anna Maria makes a trip to find out more about Pat's past and confirms something she'd suspected.

32:43Ep. 6: "The Visitation"

Access the transcript for Episode 6 here.