Nancy Grace is leaving HLN after 12 years when her current contract expires in October.
Grace informed her staff on Thursday morning that she plans to leave the network. An HLN spokesperson told TheWrap that Grace’s staff would be reassigned and that none will lose their jobs because of Grace’s surprise decision.
“This fall, I’ll be leaving HLN, my longtime TV home, with a full heart and endless gratitude. The Network has been my extended family for nearly a dozen years, and I am proud of the amazing work we’ve produced together,” Grace said in a statement. “We created an unparalleled platform that gave crime victims a voice and succeeded in helping to find missing people and spotlight unsolved homicides. I will continue my fight for justice across a variety of traditional and new media, where victims’ voices can reach an entirely engaged audience.”
An HLN spokesperson told TheWrap that the network “will have an announcement regarding the 8 p.m. ET hour in the coming months and the goal is to utilize the expertise of the current team to work on that show.”
Grace will remain on the air until her contract expires in October, but HLN could not confirm a specific date.
Grace, who has crossed over from cable news broadcaster to all-around celebrity, is often parodied on shows such as “Saturday Night Live” because of her harsh tone and passionate delivery. She also appeared on Season 13 of “Dancing with the Stars.” Grace has played herself in various films and TV shows, including HBO’s “The Wire” and the Will Smith movie “Hancock.”
She became an ardent advocate for victims’ rights after her fiancé was murdered in 1979. Grace spent a decade serving as a prosecutor in Atlanta before turning to a career as a TV legal analyst.
“Nancy has worked tirelessly on behalf of the missing and exploited for more than a decade on HLN. She gave a voice to the voiceless and we are extremely grateful for her contributions to the network. During her remarkable career at HLN, she led the coverage of two of this century’s most talked about and infamous trials, Casey Anthony and Jodi Arias,” CNN executive vice president Ken Jautz said in a note to HLN staff. “We will always be champions of Nancy’s mission and are excited to see what’s next for her. Please join me in extending a heartfelt thanks to Nancy.”