Mario Lopez Will Be Dishing All the Celebrity Dirt on 'Access Hollywood'

Those of us who love winding down with a refreshing taste of ~celebrity gossip~ may have noticed that popular entertainment news program, Extra, is undergoing a few major changes. Aside from the fact the show switched networks from NBC to Fox this year, a seriously drastic change is that one of its iconic co-hosts, Mario Lopez, is no longer on the show.

So, if you're wondering "what happened to Mario Lopez on Extra?" you'll definitely want to hang tight — we have all the deets.

Anyone who has watched Extra from the start knows that Mario was a pivotal part of the news program. In fact, according to Variety, he hosted Fox's popular news program (formerly on NBC) for a total of 12 years. Wow! 

But alas, all good things must eventually come to an end. In July 2019, it was announced the former Saved By The Bell star officially decided to switch networks.

You'll now be able to watch Mario spill all of the tea on NBC's Access Hollywood, and on its daytime equivalent, Access Live. According to TVLine, Mario officially started this exciting new gig as of Monday, Sept. 9. Billy Bush has taken his place as a host on Extra.

In a statement, Maureen FitzPatrick, a senior executive producer of both NBC programs, expressed great enthusiasm in response to Mario joining the Access team.

“We are thrilled to have someone of Mario’s caliber join our Access team. Mario has grown up in the business and is able to offer our viewers a unique insight on the latest Hollywood headlines," FitzPatrick said in a statement, according to TVLine.

And it seems as though the feeling is mutual. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Mario is "thrilled" about the switch to Access. 

"I'm thrilled to have an opportunity to join in that success and develop scripted and alternative projects on their many creative platforms," he said in a statement, according to Mario's statement in The Hollywood Reporter. 

While the reason for his departure is unconfirmed, it seems cordial. After a solid 12 years, it appears that Mario was simply ready for a change of pace.

Fans of the show have been speculating that Mario would leave Extra for Access Hollywood for quite a while now. 

Mario is going to take over for one of Access Hollywood and Access Live's former co-hosts, Natalie Morales. Natalie is still going to work for NBC — on Today as its west coast anchor, as well as on Dateline as a correspondent.  

Mario's transition from Fox to NBC may be somewhat jarring, but we're thrilled to know he's still our go-to guy for all of the latest in celebrity gossip... all we'll have to do is change the channel.