Giuliana Rancic is gearing up for her next gig, and surprise, surprise, she’s going back to her home network, E!. Among the many outlets reporting on Rancic’s latest move on Friday was People magazine. It’s been three years since Rancic left the network that catapulted her into stardom.
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Rancic confirmed her return in an exclusive statement to People, including a comment about working with her former E! News costar, Jason Kennedy, again.
“Returning to host E! News is every bit as thrilling to me today as it was 16 years ago when I joined the show and embarked on this wonderful career,” she told the magazine. “Co-hosting alongside one of my best friends, Jason Kennedy, with one of the most talented teams in entertainment journalism, makes this move even more special. I can’t wait to reconnect with the E! News audience and go on this journey together once again.”
John Najarian, executive vice president and general manager of news and digital at E!, was similarly excited to welcome Rancic back into the fold after such a long time away. “Giuliana is an incredibly charismatic and well-respected entertainment journalist,” he told People. “As a longtime member of the E! family, it’s exciting to welcome her back home to E! News.’
Rancic began as a correspondent at E! before she was named coanchor of E! News in 2005. In addition to her duties on the show, Rancic was a coanchor for special E! events, including live red carpet coverage of award shows. After 10 years, Rancic announced she would be leaving E! to focus on her family and health, although she did keep up her Live from the Red Carpet obligations.
Meanwhile, E! hasn’t had an entirely drama-free run while Rancic’s been away. In fact, the network (and Kennedy, in a way) came under fire when news emerged that E! News coanchor Catt Sadler abruptly left the network, citing a significant pay gap as her reason for leaving. E! disputed Sadler’s claims, saying the pay gap was not, as Sadler had implied, because of her gender.
“Catt Sadler and Jason Kennedy had different roles and therefore different salaries,” Frances Berwick, president of NBCU Cable Entertainment’s lifestyle networks, told Variety in January. “Catt was focused on daytime, Jason is on prime evening news plus red carpet. Our employees’ salaries are based on their roles and their expertise, regardless of gender. We wish Catt well.”
More: Debra Messing Slams E! News While Talking to E! News
True to Rancic’s word in 2015, there has been a significant decrease in the amount of time she has spent on the air. Instead, she’s devoted herself to her family — an admirable move, no doubt. While there has been no announcement giving Rancic’s first day of work, it will definitely be nice to have her back.
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