Edmonds, Thompson Joining Mario Lopez on 'Extra'

Tracey Edmonds and Charissa Thompson are joining Mario Lopez as co-hosts on Extra, coming to the show after Maria Menounos left to join E! in May.

“Tracey Edmonds is one of the most accomplished television forces in Hollywood. She is already a star with A-list relationships. Charissa Thompson is one of the quickest, sharpest and best interviewers on sports TV and was born to juggle the demands of fast-paced television. From the moment I put Tracey and Charissa on stage with Mario, their chemistry was off the charts. They are generous with each other, they complement Mario, and together they will be an unstoppable team that will take Extra into the future,” said Lisa Gregorisch-Dempsey, Extra's senior executive producer, in a statement.

Edmonds is a producer and business executive. Her company, Edmonds Entertainment Group, is currently executive producing OWN’s Deion’s Family Playbook, starring Deion Sanders. Her film company, Our Stories Films, also just released Jumping the Broom, directed by Salim Akil.

Extra already set the bar high, but I look forward to contributing new ideas and exploring new horizons on the show as I enter the next chapter of my career,” said Edmonds in a statement.

Thompson, a veteran sportscaster, hosts Fox Sports Live on Fox Sports 1. She will remain on Fox Sports Live while also hosting Extra.

“Working for Extra has always been a dream job for me. I met with Lisa G a few years ago and she didn’t hire me — actually I’m not sure if she remembered me. I made it a goal of mine to work hard and get back in front of her to knock her socks off, and I guess I made a better second impression. Now everything has come full circle," said Thompson in a statement. 

Extra, which just won the Daytime Emmy for outstanding entertainment news program, is entering its 21st year in syndication. The entertainment news program is produced by Warner Bros.' Telepictures and distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. 

Paige Albiniak

Contributing editor Paige Albiniak has been covering the business of television for more than 25 years. She is a longtime contributor to Next TV, Broadcasting + Cable and Multichannel News. She concurrently serves as editorial director for The Global Entertainment Marketing Academy of Arts & Sciences (G.E.M.A.). She has written for such publications as TVNewsCheck, The New York Post, Variety, CBS Watch and more. Albiniak was B+C’s Los Angeles bureau chief from September 2002 to 2004, and an associate editor covering Congress and lobbying for the magazine in Washington, D.C., from January 1997 - September 2002.