Three days after longtime E! host Giuliana Rancic announced she was exiting the network, Laverne Cox has been named host of Live from E!, the channel’s flagship red carpet franchise.
Additionally, Cox will host a series of celebrity-based interview specials spotlighting trendsetters, tastemakers and those making an impact in the Hollywood community, E! said in a press release Monday.
“I’m so excited and deeply humbled to be hosting E!’s iconic red carpet coverage. For many years I would wake up early on awards show days, get my snacks in place and watch E!’s coverage all day long,” the actress said in a statement. “I dreamed of walking red carpets. Now, not only have I had several fun and amazing personal red carpet moments, I also get to be a red carpet guide for E!’s discerning audience and chat with my colleagues and folks I deeply admire for these very special events in their lives.”
Related Story: E! Cancels New York-Based ‘E! News’ and ‘Pop of the Morning’
Cox is best known for her Emmy-nominated role as Sophia Burset on the Netflix series Orange is The New Black. The role helped her become the first openly transgender actress to be nominated for a Primetime acting Emmy and made her the first trans woman of color to have a leading role on a mainstream scripted television series. Cox can currently be seen in the Oscar-winning film Promising Young Woman.
She’ll be taking over hosting duties from Rancic. In an Instagram post on Friday, Rancic announced she had inked a development deal and was leaving E! after two decades.
“After 20 fabulous years hosting E!’s red carpet, I have decided to step out of my red carpet heels into a new pair of shoes,” she wrote. “One of my passions is great storytelling and I am thrilled to announce a new development deal with E!’s parent company NBCUniversal where I will be producing and bringing stories to life.”
She went on to thank her longtime colleagues.
“To my E! family, thank you for allowing me to make my red carpet dreams come true for the past two decades. It has truly been a highlight of my career and life,” she added. “To my production team throughout the years, you are all simply the best. We have made some beautiful memories together that I will always carry with me.”?
Rancic’s exit followed the departure of Ryan Seacrest, who moved on from co-hosting the network’s red carpet coverage in February, after nearly 14 years.
E! has undergone a series of dizzying changes over the last two years. As previously reported, the network canceled its flagship Los Angeles-based version of E! News, which aired its final broadcast on Nov. 15, 2019. The hour-long nightly entertainment show had been on the air since 1991.
The network then launched New York-based shows E! News and Pop of the Morning, but they were canceled within seven months.
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