WWE HOF Pre-Show Host Maria Menounos Leaving E! News After Having Brain Tumor Removed
Maria Menounos is leaving her job as an anchor at E! News to focus on her treatment for a brain tumor, according to Variety and multiple reports.
Menounos, 39, revealed to People magazine that she had a golf-ball sized growth in her brain and recently underwent a lengthy surgery to remove it. This as her mother, Litsa Menounos, is battling brain cancer.
"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," said Menounos. "It was such a special, good-hearted group and one I'll always consider family. A special thank you to [NBCUniversal Cable's] Frances Berwick and [E! president] 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."
Menounos is a WWE fan and has appeared several times for the company. She's guest hosted RAW, wrestled at WWE Tribute to the Troops 2011, inducted Bob Backlund into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013 and has hosted the WWE Hall of Fame red carpet pre-show for four years in a row. Her first appearance for WWE was on the October 12, 2009 episode of RAW where she guest hosted alongside Nancy O'Dell.
Menounos has been with E! News since 2014 and has worked as a correspondent for "Access Hollywood" and "Today." She was also the co-anchor of "Extra" from 2011 to 2014.
Maria, who was hospitalized for six days after the surgery, is recovering at home.
"My face is still numb," Menounos told People. "This is something that takes at least a month of healing, but I'm getting stronger and stronger every day and I'll be back to normal very soon."
David Ing contributed to this article.