The cancellation of E! News didn’t come as a surprise to former host Lilliana Vazquez.
The television personality, 45, shared her thoughts on the show coming to end after 34 years in a candid TikTok video.
“I can talk about this because I was the former host of E! News. No, I’m not surprised,” she said. “I keep getting this question sent to me via DM and text. Everyone is going crazy being like, ‘Oh my God. Are you shocked?’ No, of course, I’m not shocked that E! News was canceled after 34 years. I’m surprised it’s still on the air as of yesterday.”
Vazquez noted that she left E! News in 2021 and called herself “the shortest tenured host,” adding, “Not because I did anything wrong, or our show did anything wrong, but I signed on in December of 2019 and hosted it through March of 2020 and if you dare to remember what happened in March of 2020, our show went off the air with me as the host because of the pandemic, and when it came back, it came back in a very different form, and I was no longer with the network.”
After noting “the writing was on the wall” for the cancellation since her time at the network, she explained that she only joined because the show was going to be shot live in New York, where she lived at the time.
The fashion expert went on to detail why she believes E! News doesn’t work today.
“The reason that E! News didn’t work in a taped format is number one — it’s far too edited for today’s consumption,” she explained. “Right now, I can jump on TikTok or Instagram Stories or Instagram Reels and get real live hot takes in the moment that are reactive to what is happening when it comes to entertainment news, by the time a story gets put on E! News at 11:30pm at night, the story is dead.”
She further explained, “The second they decided to take that show back to tape, which is what it’s always been, minus the three months I hosted it, the show was done. And this isn’t to say anything negative about the caliber of producers and talent on that show.”
Vazquez went on to praise both the show’s current — and former — hosts.
“I think Justin [Sylvester] and Keltie [Knight] are amazing,” she shared of the show’s current hosts. “I actually think Justin is brilliant, and I think he deserves a bigger platform than he E! News. Keltie is someone that I looked up to my entire career. She is incredible on the red carpet and as an entrepreneur with what she’s built.”
“When you talk about the greats in broadcast, entertainment news, it’s Giuliana Rancic. It’s Ryan Seacrest. I mean, I also think Jason Kennedy. is an incredible host. I always thought that these people were probably too big for that platform, and that’s why they left, and I have a feeling that I’m right about that.”
Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty; Anna Webber/Getty for The Pink Agenda
From left: Lilliana Vazquez; Ryan Seacrest and Giuliana Rancic
https://people-app.onelink.me/HNIa/kz7l4cuf
Despite the caliber of hosts, Vazquez believes that relevancy “no longer exists for a show like E! News.”
“I go straight to TikTok if I want to hear about the Blake Lively scandal,” she said referring to the Gossip Girl alum’s ongoing legal battle against Justin Baldoni. “I’m not turning on my TV at 7pm to hear what some watered down version of that story is.”
She noted “an authentic, fair version of entertainment news on air” is “not possible,” noting, “There were so many touch points to every story that went on air, and I’m not saying that we didn’t try our best as host or as producers to get you the most factual, accurate representation of that story, but there were puppeteers behind the scenes.”
She added that the show is a “PR machine.”
“All this to say — No, I am not surprised. Am I sad? Yes, because this show cancellation means that hundreds of people have lost their jobs,” she concluded. “Anyway, that’s my opinion, I’m probably gonna get in trouble for it but whatever. Who cares? I don’t work there anymore.”
Rob Kim/E! Entertainment/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty
Lilliana Vazquez on ‘Pop of the Morning’ on January 8, 2020
On July 24, PEOPLE has learned E! News will air its last episode on Sept. 25.
Employees of the entertainment news show were informed of the network’s decision on the same day. After the show ends this fall, E! News will continue as a digital brand — including its website E! Online and social media offerings.
The brand’s digital shows including E! News’ The Rundown on Snapchat, Hot Goss on Instagram and RE!CAP on YouTube.
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E! News airs weekdays at 11:30 p.m. ET on E!
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