Giuliana Rancic had her reasons why she’s leaving the popular show E! News, she firmly denies she’s been forced out. Rancic told People that she’s wanted to move on from E! for several years now, but the network held her back.
“It was 100 percent my decision to leave," she said. "I brought up the idea to leave three years ago, but E! News kept extending me because they wanted me to stay.”
Giuliana is stepping down as the host of E! News on Aug. 10, the network confirmed in a press release. She will remain a co-host of Fashion Police and Live from the Red Carpet.
.@GiulianaRancic is leaving @ENews but remains on 'Fashion Police' and 'Red Carpet' https://t.co/qFGHB0kjwu pic.twitter.com/s0PgsNmLqD
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) July 9, 2015
A PageSix report on Thursday said that Rancic’s departure was already in the works, but the “last straw” was the hiring of Maria Menounos.
“They’ve always been rivals. Maria sees Giuliana as competition and it goes back years," a source told the publication.
Maria Menounos will be named to a lead role on E! News, filling the key slot vacated by longtime anchor Giuliana Rancic.
Maria Menounos to Step Into Giuliana Rancic's E! News Slot: Inside the Network's Shakeup (E... https://t.co/yAbzLJDIrr pic.twitter.com/0YbyykobEQ — TheWrap (@TheWrap) July 10, 2015
But Rancic told People she just needed to move on after more than a decade at E! News.
“I took on a challenge 14 years ago. I was a young reporter, and E! News was my dream job. It’s been an incredible journey," she said.
"But after 14 years, I have nothing else to accomplish on the show. I want to grow as a person, as a businesswoman, as a host, and in order for me to grow, I need to take on a new venture and new challenges.”
Giuliana had been a writer for entertainment before landing a $1 million per year salary on E!, her net worth is $8 million according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Giuliana's exit comes just months after the anchor was in the center of controversy for criticizing singer Zendaya's dreadlocked hair on the Oscars red carpet and saying that she looked like she smelled "like patchouli or weed."
Rancic apologized on air to Zendaya but the return of Fashion Police was postponed until September.
Fashion Police co-host Kelly Osbourne, quit the show and was followed shortly by the sudden departure of Kathy Griffin.
