Renee Paquette

Early life and career beginnings

Renee Jane Paquette was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. After completing high school, her initial career aspirations were in performance, leading her to apply to colleges and undertake training in improv comedy. At the age of 19, she relocated to Los Angeles to pursue a career as a comedic actress, but found the industry challenging and opportunities scarce. She subsequently returned to her hometown of Toronto and began auditioning for roles in films, music videos, and commercials. Growing frustrated with the inconsistent nature of auditioning, Paquette made a strategic pivot towards broadcasting, seeking a more stable career path in media. Her first professional media role was at BiteTV in 2008 and 2009, where she presented a show called Rippin' It-N-Lippin' It, which focused on the intersecting worlds of extreme sports and music. This early experience provided her with foundational on-camera skills and led directly to her next opportunity at The Score Television Network.

Broadcasting career with The Score Television Network

Paquette began working for The Score Television Network, a major Canadian sports channel, in 2009. She was hired as a presenter for the wrestling discussion program Right After Wrestling, which was later renamed Aftermath. On this show, she worked alongside established broadcasters Arda Ocal and Mauro Ranallo, as well as former WWE referee Jimmy Korderas. The program provided analysis and debate on the latest events in professional wrestling, requiring Paquette to be knowledgeable and articulate about the industry. Her performance on Aftermath demonstrated her comfort in a live television environment and her ability to engage with wrestling content in an informed manner. This role was instrumental in building her profile within the wrestling media community and served as a direct pipeline to the attention of World Wrestling Entertainment. Her time at The Score, from 2009 to 2012, was a critical period of professional development that prepared her for the demands of a larger American broadcast platform.

WWE career and historic achievements

Paquette signed a contract with WWE in October 2012. The company initially suggested the ring name Renee Sterling, but she chose the name Renee Young as a tribute to the well-known Canadian musician Neil Young. Her first on-screen appearance for the company was as a co-host on the pre-show for the 2012 Survivor Series pay-per-view alongside veteran host Scott Stanford. She formally debuted on WWE's developmental brand, NXT, on January 23, 2013, in the role of a backstage interviewer. By February 2013, she was also conducting exclusive interviews for the WWE Active digital service. Her main roster debut on SmackDown occurred on March 29, 2013, where she interviewed top stars Randy Orton, Big Show, and Sheamus. Beyond interviewing, she became a versatile media personality, co-hosting the World Tour segments that showed local attractions in cities WWE visited and serving as a main presenter on the popular YouTube series The JBL and Cole Show from 2013 until its cancellation in June 2015. That digital show won the WWE Slammy Award for Favorite Web Show of the Year in 2013.

Paquette's most groundbreaking contributions came in the broadcast booth. She made her colour commentary debut on NXT in September 2013, initially for women's matches. This led to a full-time colour commentator role on NXT for several months. From July 3, 2014, to January 9, 2015, she served as a colour commentator on WWE Superstars alongside Tom Phillips, a position that made her WWE's first full-time female announcer in more than a decade. She hosted her own interview program on the WWE Network called Unfiltered with Renee Young starting in April 2015. In June 2015, she served as the co-host of the sixth season of the reality competition series Tough Enough alongside wrestler Chris Jericho. A notable on-screen moment occurred on the December 20, 2016, episode of SmackDown when, after an interview, Intercontinental Champion The Miz revealed her real-life relationship with Dean Ambrose, prompting her to slap him, which led to a subsequent storyline involving Miz's wife, Maryse.

Her historic milestone in commentary was reached on August 13, 2018, when she filled in as a guest commentator for an entire episode of Monday Night Raw, becoming the first woman ever to do so. The following month, she joined the Raw commentary team as a permanent member. In October 2019, she moved to the SmackDown brand as a special contributor and began co-hosting the new studio program WWE Backstage on Fox Sports 1 with Booker T. She also filled in as a commentator on the November 1, 2019, episode of SmackDown when the regular team was unavailable. Paquette announced her departure from WWE at the SummerSlam event in August 2020, stating it would be her final appearance. She explained her decision was influenced by the cancellation of WWE Backstage and a feeling that she had accomplished her professional goals within the company.

Post-WWE podcasting and SiriusXM show

After her WWE departure, Paquette launched her own independent podcast in 2021. It was initially titled Oral Sessions with Renee Paquette and later renamed The Sessions with Renee Paquette. The podcast features long-form, in-depth interviews with a wide array of guests from the worlds of professional wrestling, entertainment, sports, and popular culture. To complement the audio content, she created a dedicated YouTube channel under her own name, where she posts video clips and full episodes of the podcast, expanding her audience to visual platforms. In September 2021, she further diversified her audio portfolio by co-hosting a show on SiriusXM satellite radio called Throwing Down with Renee and Miesha. She co-hosted this program with former Strikeforce and UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion Miesha Tate, blending discussions on mixed martial arts with broader lifestyle topics. She also made several one-off returns to WWE programming post-departure, including co-hosting a special SmackDown pre-show on October 16, 2020, with Booker T and appearing on the return episode of WWE Backstage on January 30, 2021, to promote the Royal Rumble event.

Culinary work and cookbook publication

Parallel to her broadcasting career, Paquette cultivated a public identity as a food enthusiast and home cook. This passion culminated in the May 2021 publication of her first cookbook, "Messy in the Kitchen: My Guide to Eating Deliciously, Hosting Fabulously and Sipping Copiously," published by Permuted Press with the ISBN 978-1-64293-930-9. The book is structured as a personal guide, featuring recipes, advice on entertaining guests, and suggestions for beverage pairings, reflecting her philosophy that cooking should be enjoyable and approachable rather than intimidating. To promote the book's release, she participated in live virtual signings and interviews, directly engaging with fans and readers. Her culinary activity extends beyond the book, as she actively shares kitchen tips, cooking videos, and photos of her homemade meals on her social media channels. Posts from as recent as August and September 2026 show her sharing comfort food recipes, cooking videos on YouTube, and dishes like short ribs prepared from Alison Roman's recipes, indicating a sustained and active engagement with food content creation.

All Elite Wrestling signing and role

On October 12, 2022, All Elite Wrestling President Tony Khan confirmed via his social media account that Paquette had signed with the promotion. She made her debut for AEW that same night on an episode of its flagship television program, Dynamite. Within AEW, her primary responsibilities are as a backstage interviewer, conducting in-ring and backstage segments with wrestlers following matches, and as a panelist on the company's pre-show broadcasts for pay-per-view events. Her signing was viewed as a significant acquisition for AEW, adding a broadcaster with extensive live television experience and high name recognition from her WWE tenure. She has maintained a consistent presence on AEW programming since her debut, performing functions similar to her previous roles but within the distinct production style and featuring the different roster of the AEW promotion.

Other media appearances and early work

Beyond her core wrestling broadcasting, Paquette has appeared in various other television and digital media projects. She joined the main cast for the sixth season of the E! reality television series Total Divas in 2016, having made several recurring appearances on the show in earlier seasons. Her early career included minor acting and modelling work. She had a cameo appearance in the 2005 music video for Kelly Clarkson's song "Behind These Hazel Eyes." She also appeared in a music video for comedian Tom Green and in national television commercials for skincare brands Oxy and Noxzema. Additionally, she did a photoshoot for Toro Magazine. Prior to launching her own podcast, she co-hosted the podcast Regular Girls with Stacy McGunnigle. These varied projects, undertaken before and during her rise in wrestling media, contributed to her broad on-camera experience and comfort in different entertainment formats.

Personal life, citizenship, and fandom

Paquette began a relationship with American professional wrestler Jonathan Good in 2013. Good is widely known by his ring name Jon Moxley in AEW and was previously known as Dean Ambrose in WWE. The couple were married in an impromptu ceremony at their Las Vegas home on April 9, 2017. In November 2020, Paquette and Good announced they were expecting their first child. Their daughter, Nora Murphy Good, was born on June 15, 2021. Paquette is a lifelong fan of professional wrestling. She has recalled attending events as a child in Toronto, including WrestleMania VI, and mentioned that her father, a concert promoter, sometimes secured her backstage access where she met stars like Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H, Chyna, and Trish Stratus. She is also a fan of the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League. In March 2021, Paquette reported that she had become an American citizen, thereby holding dual Canadian and American nationality.

Questions about Renee Paquette

What is Renee Paquette's real name?

Renee Paquette's real name is Renee Jane Paquette. She is best known professionally by her WWE ring name, Renee Young, which she chose as a tribute to musician Neil Young. She began using her legal surname again publicly after her departure from WWE in 2020. In her current role with All Elite Wrestling, she is credited under her real name, Renee Paquette.

Why did Renee Paquette leave WWE?

Renee Paquette left WWE in August 2020, stating that the cancellation of the Fox Sports 1 studio show WWE Backstage, which she co-hosted, was a primary factor. She also expressed that she felt she had accomplished everything she set out to do during her eight years with the company. Her final appearance was at the SummerSlam event that year. After leaving, she focused on her podcast and culinary projects before joining AEW in 2022.

What is Renee Paquette's cookbook called?

Renee Paquette's cookbook is titled "Messy in the Kitchen: My Guide to Eating Deliciously, Hosting Fabulously and Sipping Copiously. It was published in May 2021 by Permuted Press. The book encapsulates her personal philosophy on cooking, entertaining, and enjoying food and drink. She promoted the book through virtual signings and interviews, sharing her culinary journey with her audience.

Did Renee Paquette make history as a WWE commentator?

Yes, Renee Paquette achieved several historic firsts as a commentator in WWE. In 2014, she became the company's first full-time female commentator in over a decade when she joined the WWE Superstars announce team. Her most notable milestone came on August 13, 2018, when she became the first woman to call an entire episode of Monday Night Raw. She later joined the Raw commentary team on a permanent basis that same year.

Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Novello Desserts desk. Last updated 2026-10-20.