Leeza Gibbons
| Net Worth | $40 Million |
|---|---|
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.72 m) |
| Profession | Presenter, Actor, Television producer |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of Birth | Mar 26, 1957 (65 years old) |
| Nationality | United States of America |
Leeza Gibbons Net Worth:
$40 Million
What is the Net Worth and Salary of Leeza Gibbons?
Leeza Gibbons is an American television talk show host and presenter with a net worth of $40 million. Leeza Gibbons is most well-known for hosting “Entertainment Tonight,” “Extra,” and her own talk program, “Leeza.” Between 1993 and 2000, “Leeza” lasted for seven seasons and was syndicated nationally. In addition, Gibbons presented the famous PBS lifestyle program “My Generation” and participated in and won the seventh season of “The Celebrity Apprentice” in 2015.
Childhood and Education
Leeza Gibbons was born in Hartsville, South Carolina on March 26, 1957 to Dr. Carlos and Jean. There are two of her siblings: Carlos Jr. and Cammy. Growing up, Gibbons resided in the Whitehall housing community in Columbia, South Carolina. She attended Irmo High School and the University of South Carolina, where she studied journalism and public communication.
Beginnings of Careers on Television
Gibbons began her television career in Spartanburg, South Carolina, with WSPA-TV. She then became a cohost on the news-entertainment program “PM Magazine” on KFDM-TV in Beaumont, Texas. Gibbons relocated to New York City in 1983 and joined WCBS-TV. She began cohosting “Two on the Town” with Robb Weller there.
“The Tonight Show” and “Leeza”
Gibbons and her co-host from “Two on the Town,” Robb Weller, joined the CBS newsmagazine “Entertainment Tonight” in 1984. Gibbons served as a reporter and co-anchor for the weekend edition of the show for 26 years until 2000. She began cohosting an NBC syndicated daytime talk program in 1993. Originally titled “John & Leeza from Hollywood,” Gibbons co-hosted the program with John Tesh, one of her former “Entertainment Tonight” co-hosts. Tesh departed the program after seven months, and Gibbons became the only host of the renamed “Leeza” program. Gibbons highlighted current issues, such as celebrity and real crime tales, on the program “Leeza,” which aired until the year 2000. Throughout its existence, the show was nominated for 27 Daytime Emmy Awards and won three.
Other Hosting Services
Throughout her career, Gibbons has presented a multitude of different shows. In the 1990s, she presented the radio countdown program “Blockbuster Top 25 Countdown with Leeza Gibbons,” on which she counted down the Adult Contemporary and Hot Adult Contemporary chart’s most popular songs. Later, in 2001, the countdown angle was eliminated, and the show became “Leeza Gibbons’ Hollywood Confidential,” an entertainment news program. Gibbons began hosting and working as managing editor of the show “Extra” in 2001; she held both positions until 2003. Later, from 2011 to 2014, she had one of her most popular hosting jobs on the PBS chat show “My Generation,” which addressed health, relationships, and finances. Gibbons won the 2013 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lifestyle/Travel Host for her hosting.
Gibbons sat in for Meredith Vieira on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” for a week in June 2008, among her other hosting duties. From 2011 to 2015, she served as co-host and executive producer of the newsmagazine program “America Now.”
“Celebrity Apprenticeship”
Beyond her work as a television host, Gibbons gained prominence in 2015 for her participation in the seventh season of “The Celebrity Apprentice.” She ultimately won the competition, defeating Geraldo Rivera to become the second female champion in the series’ history. Gibbons raised almost $700,000 for her organization Leeza’s Care Connection during the course of the event.
Alzheimer’s Campaign
Gibbons has been very active in lobbying for health concerns, notably Alzheimer’s disease, which claimed the life of her mother in 2008. In 2005, Gibbons received the Public Leadership in Neurology Award from the American Academy of Neurology for her efforts to raise awareness of the disease. Later, she was assigned to the board controlling the state’s stem cell research organization by then-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Gibbons wrote her book “Take Your Oxygen First: Protecting Your Health and Happiness While Caring for a Loved One with Memory Loss” in 2009, following the death of her mother. In the book, she gives guidance to assist families and caregivers in tending to their emotional and psychological needs so they may be more sensitive to the needs of their suffering loved ones.
Business Ventures
Gibbons has her own line of mineral cosmetics, Sheer Cover Studio, for commercial purposes. Through a cooperation with California-based marketing firm Guthy-Renker, the product is offered worldwide. 2015 saw Gibbons receive the Icon Award from the Electronic Retailing Association in appreciation of her sales.
Personal Life
Gibbons has experienced many marriages and divorces. Her first marriage lasted from 1980 to 1982 to John Hicks. She married British actor Christopher Quinten in 1989, with whom she had a daughter called Jordan. In 1991, the couple divorced. That year, Gibbons wed actor and architect Stephen Meadows, her third spouse. The couple produced two boys named Nathan and Troy before separating in 2005. Later, in 2011, Gibbons married best-selling novelist Steven Fenton, the son of former Beverly Hills, California, mayor Frank Fenton.
Real Estate
Leeza advertised her Beverly Hills home for $18.5 million in March 2018. In November of 2018, she sold the home for $15.5 million. In 2014, Leeza and her husband, the producer Steve Henton, acquired the home for $7.95 million. Leeza and Steve acquired a property in the Los Angeles suburb of Hancock Park for $5.46 million in August of 2019.