Rita and Friends

{{Short description|Canadian television variety show}}

{{Infobox television

| presenter = Rita MacNeil

| country = Canada

| network = CBC Television

| first_aired = {{Start date|1994}}

| last_aired = {{End date|1997}}

}}Rita and Friends is a Canadian television variety show, which aired on CBC Television from 1994 to 1997. The show was hosted by Canadian country/folk singer Rita MacNeil. It won a Gemini Award in 1996 for 'Best Performance in a Variety Program or Series'{{cite web |url=http://academy.ca/hist/history.cfm?categid=9512&shownum=10&winonly=0&awards=2&rtype=5&curstep=4 |title=ACCT - Canadian Awards History Search |website=academy.ca |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030131054058/http://www.academy.ca/hist/history.cfm?categid=9512&shownum=10&winonly=0&awards=2&rtype=5&curstep=4 |archive-date=2003-01-31}} and featured many musical artists.

MacNeil's folksy style made the show more popular with Canadian audiences than the show it replaced, Friday Night with Ralph Benmergui.