For the past few years, E! News has featured the on-air talents of co-anchor Maria Menounos, who has offered viewers updates on all things celebrity and entertainment. Unfortunately, Menounos and the network have released a joint announcement stating she is stepping down as an E! News host, as it was revealed she'd recently had surgery to remove a brain tumor she was diagnosed with earlier this year.
To address the most important element early on, Maria Menounos' seven-hour surgery was a complete success, and she is currently back at home and in recovery mode, according to People. Her balance isn't fully back, and her face still has some numbness, but she states that at least a month of healing is necessary to get over that initial hump, and then she says she'll "be back to normal very soon." That's definitely something that fans will be happy to hear.
Maria Menounos, who publicly shared other unfortunate experiences with doctors in the past, is stepping away from her duties as E! News co-anchor after just three-ish years, having taken that role in 2015. She originally joined the network earlier, taking part in co-hosting duties on Live from E!, but she definitely didn't make her name there. Her hosting duties go back to 2000, where she worked with the school-based Channel One News program. From there, she went on to Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, The Challenge, Extra, and was the subject of Oxygen's Chasing Maria Menounos.
Not that she's only served as a host and anchor over the years. She's also showed off her acting talents, as well as her know-how around the WWE wrestling ring. Plus, she was a contestant on Dancing with the Stars a few years ago. In neither the public statement nor her People interview did she address what she would be doing with the other non-hosting sides of her career beyond her recovery -- 99.9% of the benign tumor was removed, though there is a small chance it could return down the road -- but one hopes she's able and willing to return to the spotlight in the future.
Her statement about exiting E! News can be read below.
I am so grateful for the past three years at E!, I had such an amazing time co-hosting with Jason Kennedy and working everyday with the wonderful roster of talent on the show including producers, staff and crew. It was such a special, good-hearted group and one I'll always consider family. A special thank you to Frances Berwick and Adam Stotsky for all the support they have shown me through the years especially during these tough times. I will truly miss everyone and looking forward to this next chapter in my life.
We at CinemaBlend send our thoughts and condolences to Maria Menounos during her rehabilitation, and we're thankful she made it through the surgery without any complications.
To see what shows you can keep yourself busy with over the course of the next few months, head to our summer TV premiere schedule.
