Nancy O'Dell exits 'Access Hollywood' because of sensational direction (Uh... Nancy?)
Taylor
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Nancy O’Dell Leaves Access Hollywood
By Ulrica Wihlborg
Thursday December 17, 2009 04:40 PM EST
Hollywood's Nancy O'Dell is leaving her job two years before her
contract expires. Her last show will be this week.
"The original member of the Access Hollywood family, co-anchor and
respected broadcast journalist Nancy O'Dell, has chosen to leave the
show after 13 years," says a statement from her rep. "O’Dell
appreciates NBC’s cooperation as she begins this next chapter in her
career. Even though she will be leaving for a new opportunity, this
decision is based totally on Nancy’s desire to take her career to the
next level and is completely amicable. She will continue on with
projects as a broadcast entertainment journalist."
A source tells PEOPLE O’Dell has been uncomfortable for the past
several months with what she sees as the show's more sensational
direction. "She has spent a lot of years building respect in the
entertainment community and celebrities trust her," says the source.
"She's known as the nice and classy girl. She values that."
Prior to the show, O’Dell spent seven years as a news anchor and
investigate reporter. As for what she’s doing next, O’Dell has yet to
make an announcement. Her next scheduled broadcast appearance will be
as the host of the Tournament of Roses Parade live on NBC on New
Year’s day.
O’Dell is married to business executive Keith Zubchevich. They are
parents to daughter Ashby, 2. She’s also the step-mom to sons Tyler,
14, and Carson, 10.
See what other readers have to say about this story – or leave a
comment of your own
SoCally
save face.
Ian J. Ball
<90a6e728-bff2-4987...@m7g2000prd.googlegroups.com>,
SoCally <foa...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Translation: She's being forced out but the show agreed to let her
> save face.
I'm not sure we can conclude that here - she's been there 13 years, and
we'd have heard more 'preamble' to this occurrence if they were forcing
her out...
--
"There's no business, like Cho business."
- Patrick Jane, "The Mentalist", 02/11/09
SoCally
> In article
> <90a6e728-bff2-4987-a8c1-03d0be347...@m7g2000prd.googlegroups.com>, SoCally
>
> <foaa...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >Translation: She's being forced out but the show agreed to let her
> >save face.
>
I doubt it's about age. It's more of a revamping. TV shows do this all
the time. They get rid of someone but let the person say publicly that
they moved on to pursue other things.
Joan Lunden
Debbie Mattanopoulus (The View)
Debra Norville (Today)
etc.
Even coaches like Don Shula from Miami later revealed he was forced to
resign.
Michael Black
That may actually work for the show, rather than the fired person. If the
show comes out and fires someone, they may get viewer flack for it. If it
sounds like a decision of the person who was fired, and worded so it
sounds like they "moving to better things", then the flack isn't likely to
happen.
Two radio stations here terminated a lot of on-air personalities in
August, some who had been there for 20 years. The wording of the
announcement always put a positive spin on it.
Michael
ha...@command.com
An aging fat cupie doll reading "National Enquirer" stories suddenly
wants a big girl career.
Jonathan Allen
to say that the show has went to hell with the "This Gossip Is
Fact/Fiction" (a ripoff of ET's "Real or Rumor?"), "In Case You Missed
It", "Get It or Shred It", and now the "AH Nation" segments.
At one time on the weekend show, they had a "Hollywood Face-Off"
segment; that was quickly discontinued after ESPN fired off a nasty
e-mail saying, "Stop copying PTI!!!"
In other words, Access Hollywood has been a total mess, and I'm glad
Nancy -- who's been with the show since it began in 1996 -- is getting
out of it with Billy Bush all alone now. We can't wait to see what her
next move will be in 2010...any guesses???