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Before a hiatus that began in 2000, what she refers to as her semi-retirement, Ziggy Lorenc - or more popularly known as simply 'Ziggy' - dominated the airways, first as a Much Music VJ and then on such shows as Life on Venus Ave., The Ziggy Show and Sex TV.

The pop culture diva, whose career spanned all genres from television to music and film to literature, is back on people's radar with a new late night radio show on The New AM 740 that's been christened Stardust. The show debuted earlier this month and airs Monday to Friday from 11 p.m. to midnight.

"I was in Alabama working on a book when I got a call from Moses (Znaimer, co-founder and former president and executive producer of Citytv), who was opening up his production company," said the Bloor West Village native, who has called the area home since she was six-years old. "He asked me this spring. I'm loving radio."

It's a medium that has always intrigued her, as she recalled the radio spots she used to do for her show on CHUM.

"It's a bit more up in your head. You've got the headset on," she mused. "But you still need to touch base with people."

With her trademark sultry voice, recognizable immediately on the phone, Ziggy is the perfect fit for radio. It doesn't hurt that she's a self-described walking catalogue of music.

"I'm a product of the 60s," she said. "I was born in 1958, a very good music year."

Not to mention her experience at Much Music, a pioneer of the music video.

"We got to meet a lot of artists," said Ziggy, who attributes her musical knowledge also to her genes.

Under the umbrella of Zoom Media, Ziggy's show addresses the 40-plus crowd, the Zoomers, who she said aren't just living in the past. They've got a curiosity about the future, said the 49-year-old. Granted complete creative control, as is the way with Znaimer, Ziggy said, she'll be choosing songs from 1915, parlour songs to the contemporary ones of 2008.

"It's always different every night depending on my mood," she said.

Listeners can expect to hear music from her favourite Martha Wainwright, whom she calls "remarkable" and romantics of all ages, including Chet Baker, Julie London and Jimmy Durante, to Leonard Cohen, Van Morrison and Amy Winehouse. Linda Ronstadt is another of Ziggy's favourites even though the singer stole her boyfriend comedian Jim Carrey from her years ago. Ziggy and Carrey dated for two years after filming a movie together. They were set up by a friend.

"It's very comical," Ziggy said laughing. "He was in and out of town, I was back home in Toronto. I heard over the radio that we broke up," she said. "The DJ asked 'What favourite Torontonian is dating Linda Ronstadt? I knew right away it was Jim."

Love and relationships is what she is addressing on her show. Everyone, she said, is trying to find love on the internet, which she calls the trailer park of love. The problem is, people can be whoever they want to be on the internet except themselves.

As for Ziggy, she revealed there is someone special in her life, but she doesn't have a contract of any sort.

"I'm not married," she said. "I've left the paper on the tree where it belongs."

Once again, Toronto has a diva of romance. She's just a little older and wiser now.