South Carolina native Leeza Gibbons got a degree in journalism from the University of South Carolina before becoming an anchor of the showbiz news show Entertainment Tonight in 1984. Gibbons became a household name almost instantly, interviewing celebrities and reporting on the latest Hollywood news and gossip long before the age of TMZ. Gibbons' striking screen presence also led to her appearing in acting roles in feature films such as Robocop, though the anchor most often made cameo appearances as herself -- as she did in 1991's He Said, She Said. In 1994, Gibbons began hosting her own daytime talk show, Leeza, which ran until 2000. She also started hosting a number of radio shows in 2004 and participated in the popular reality show Dancing with the Stars in 2007. She won the seventh season of the Celebrity Apprentice in 2015, playing for her own charity, Leeza's Care Connection.
Leeza Gibbons
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- Broke into broadcasting as an anchor for the National Public Radio Affiliate WLTR in Columbia, SC, which was followed by a stint anchoring and reporting for WSPA-TV in Spartanburg.
- Was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on May 7, 1998.
- As a tribute to her mother and grandmother, founded the Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation, an organization for Alzheimer's sufferers and their caregivers, in 2002.
- Released the how-to book Scrapbooking Traditions in 2005.
- Was paired with professional ballroom dancer Tony Dovolani for the fourth season of ABC's Dancing with the Stars.
- Was the winner of the seventh season of Celebrity Apprentice in 2015.