Nancy O'Dell to Leave 'Access Hollywood'

Whether 'Access Hollywood' or any entertainment-news program is overly focused on Tiger Woods or other tabloid tales is for audiences to decide. But after 13 years of delivering the latest in Tinseltown news and interviews as co-host of the popular NBC show, Nancy O'Dell is leaving, two years before her current contract expires.Whether 'Access Hollywood' or any entertainment-news program is overly focused on Tiger Woods or other tabloid tales is for audiences to decide. But after 10 years of delivering the latest in Tinseltown news and interviews as co-host of the popular NBC show, Nancy O'Dell is leaving, two years before her current contract expires.

People quotes an unnamed source as stating that O'Dell, who was initially a correspondent when 'Access Hollywood' debuted in 1996, had grown increasingly queasy about the show's "more sensational direction." The source said she "has spent a lot of years building respect in the entertainment community and celebrities trust her ... She's known as the nice and classy girl. She values that."


A press representative, meanwhile, issued a statement clarifying O'Dell's decision as "based totally on Nancy's desire to take her career to the next level and is completely amicable." O'Dell's website makes no reference to her departure; she also hasn't tweeted about it as yet. Still, it's expected she will co-host the Tournament of Roses parade with Al Roker on New Year's Day.

As for who will next co-host 'Access Hollywood' alongside Billy Bush, well, NBC will have to start working on that soon: O'Dell's final appearance is set for Friday, Dec. 18.

(Kudos to reader Mr Math for catching an error: O'Dell hosted the show for 10, but appeared on it for 13.)