Life after
Dancing with the Stars has been fruitful for
Mario Lopez, who joined the ABC dance competition series during its third season. After earning second place with professional dance partner
Karina Smirnoff, the 34-year-old actor has landed a hosting gig on the MTV reality show
America's Best Dance Crew and has taken over the role of Zach in Broadway's
A Chorus Line. Now, he has been named as main new host of the syndicated entertainment news magazine program
Extra.
The former
Dancing with the Stars contestant joined
Extra in January 2007 as a co-host to the show's weekend edition as well as a correspondent for the daily program. He is now expected to take over the anchor chair on September 15 as the show begins its 15th season.
"We are excited to name
Mario Lopez as the new host of
Extra's weekday show. Mario has done a great job as the host of our weekend show and has established himself as a highly engaging, likeable and sought-after host and personality. He will be a fresh and dynamic presence for the show, and we can't wait for him to assume his new role and get to work with Senior Executive Producer Lisa Gregorisch-Dempsey, who has made
Extra one of the most highly regarded programs of its kind on television," Telepictures Productions president Estey McLoughlin said in a statement.
As for
Extra co-host Dayna Devon, she will shift into a special correspondent role for the program, shedding light on major celebrity interviews and celebrity lifestyle reporting. Additionally, she will serve as backup host for Lopez.
Meanwhile, Devon's present on-air partner, co-host Mark McGrath, will be departing from
Extra at his request. McGrath, who continued touring and recorded with his multiplatinum-selling band Sugar Ray while working with
Extra, will now focus on his musical career, which will also be documented comprehensively by the show with exclusive behind-the-scenes reports in the coming months.
Prior to
Dancing with the Stars, Mario Lopez was also cast as A.C. Slater on the popular television sitcom
Saved by the Bell, a role he played for five years. He was also credited for his hosting duties on
Pet Star and the syndicated talk show
The Other Half.
-Kris De Leon, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution
(Image courtesy of Wire Image)