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Maria Menounos leaving E! News after brain tumor diagnosis

 
Maria Menounos attends the premiere of Warner Bros. Pictures' "Live By Night" at TCL Chinese Theatre on Jan. 9 in Hollywood. It was revealed Monday that Menounos had a brain tumor. [Getty Images]
Maria Menounos attends the premiere of Warner Bros. Pictures' "Live By Night" at TCL Chinese Theatre on Jan. 9 in Hollywood. It was revealed Monday that Menounos had a brain tumor. [Getty Images]
Published July 3, 2017

E! News anchor Maria Menounos has revealed she learned she had a brain tumor while caring for her mother, who has stage 4 brain cancer.

Upon receiving the diagnosis, Menounos tells People magazine: "I didn't cry. I actually laughed. It's so surreal and crazy and unbelievable that my mom has a brain tumor — and now I have one too?"

Her doctor removed 99.9 percent of the benign tumor last month on her 39th birthday. She is at home recovering after a six-day hospital stay. The magazine also gives an update on Menounos' mother, Litsa; the latest MRI reveals that her cancer is stable.

E! on Monday announced that Menounos will step down as co-anchor of "E! News."

She joined the network in 2014 and had been co-anchor since 2015.

She also has worked for "Extra" and "Access Hollywood," and she competed on "Dancing With the Stars." She danced with Derek Hough, and she placed fourth — behind winner Donald Driver, runner-up Katherine Jenkins and third-place finisher William Levy.

"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," Menounos said. "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."

Adam Stotsky, president of E! Entertainment, said in a statement: "Our thoughts and support go out to Maria and her family and we wish them all the best knowing that Maria will tackle this with the same fierce dedication she is known for. We are grateful for Maria's many contributions to E! over the past three years."

©2017 The Orlando Sentinel