Follow LA Observed on Twitter here
The longtime co-host of "Good Day L.A." who stayed in a reduced role after Dorothy Lucey got the axe in May tweeted this morning that she's next to leave the morning show. She was gracious.
Just informed I am no longer on @gdla It's been an amazing 2 decade run!I will always be grateful for the fun and opportunity!
— Jillian Barberie (@askjillian) September 27, 2012
Fox 11 announced later in the day that it's going with a younger blonde to co-host with Steve Edwards. The new talent is Maria Sansone.
Sansone was a field reporter for WNBC 4 New York, appearing daily on "LX New York." She hosted the nationally syndicated travel show, "LXTV 1st Look" on NBC, as well as the reality competition series, "On the Rocks: Search for America's Best Bartender" and "The Match Off" on NBC.Maria was also a correspondent for TV Guide Network and led the channel's live coverage of the Emmy's, Grammy's and Academy Awards. Sansone has contributed to "Access Hollywood," "EXTRA," ABC's "On the Red Carpet," CBS Sports, NESN, ESPN. She has appeared on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "Good Morning America," "The CBS Early Show" and "Dateline NBC.
She was also a VJ for MTV Networks and hosted web sensation, "The 9" on Yahoo. Earlier in her career Maria hosted "Gladiators 2000" with Ryan Seacrest and hosted her own show on ABC called "Wide World of Sports for Kids".
Sansone added, "I am thrilled to be joining Good Day LA. The show is an institution and to be a part of that tradition is a dream come true!"
She became a TV personality when she was 11, "discovered by then WJET-TV 24 reporter Mike Gallagher when he interviewed her for winning a kid's slam-dunk contest in Erie, Pennsylvania." She is 31; Barberie Reynolds turned 46 this week and told a Twitter follower who complimented her looks: "With 2 kids and real boobs. Just saying. Lol."
