Suzanne Somers to leave HSN, take products to rival ShopNBC

Suzanne Somers, 62-year-old queen of the informercial world, is leaving HSN and taking her lines of jewelry, apparel and beauty products to rival ShopNBC in September.

TV shopping figures often switch channels every few years to expose their products to a different audience. But Somers' departure — described as a "mutual" agreement — ends a run on HSN that dates back to 1992. On her Web site, Somers, who has written extensively about her use of nontraditional antiaging and hormone-replacement therapies, said she is leaving HSN after "17 wonderful years." She also welcomed the "opportunity to present vitamins and supplements" she takes herself.

HSN has been under a Federal Trade Commission consent order to not air false health claims for more than a decade. Mindy Grossman, HSN chief executive officer, said health supplement sales had nothing to do with the split. "We thank her for contributions and wish her well," she said.