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Rob Ford story drawing in media from around the world

The continuing drama surrounding Mayor Rob Ford and a drug-related scandal has made headlines worldwide and brought a growing number of foreign news crews to Toronto City Hall.

Foreign reporters and Ford

11 years ago
Duration 3:06
Reporters from around the world are in Toronto to cover Mayor Rob Ford.

The continuing drama surrounding Mayor Rob Ford and a drug-related scandal has made headlines worldwide and broughta growing number of foreign news crews to Toronto City Hall.

David Willis, a reporter for the BBC, saysTorontos "larger than life" mayor is at the centre of a story that has beenofinterest to anyone who hears about it.

"Its soap opera, its theatre," Willis said Monday, when explaining the wide interest in the story involving Ford.

"Every day,we see something new more videotape coming out, more sort of explosive allegations.Its more, really, than we can comprehend and cope with. Weve never known this sort of thing happening before. Its just an amazing, compelling, slightly tragic story."

For certain, Ford has been the key figure in an extraordinary month of November at Toronto City Hall.

The 44-year-old Toronto mayor has admitted to having smoked crack cocaine since being elected, as well as to having purchased illegal drugs during that time period.

Ford has also apologized for "mistakes," some of which were alcohol-related, and admitted to potentially getting behind the wheel after drinking.

This month, healso responded to the publication of a bizarre video, which the Toronto Star paid to obtain, showing the mayor ranting and swearing.

Ford has said he was "extremely, extremely inebriated" when the videowas filmed, but he did not explain the circumstances under which it was recorded.

But the mayor has endured in his job, despite calls from his colleagues to take a leave of absenceor step down.

In recent days, Ford has also made efforts to take his message to U.S. media outlets, including Fox News and CNN.

Click on the video playerabove to see a full report from the CBC's Marivel Taruc.