'Dancing with the Stars' co-host Samantha Harris leaving the show

While Samantha Harris described working on Dancing with the Stars as a "dream job," the co-host has announced that she's leaving the ABC reality competition.


"I loved every single second of it and I've made lifelong friends at the show," Harris told People on Thursday, adding that she's leaving Dancing with the Stars to focus more on her work at Entertainment Tonight Weekend and The Insider.

"I interned at Entertainment Tonight 15 years ago, the summer after my sophomore year at Northwestern and I dreamed of working in the same space as hosts Mary Hart and Mark Steines and now I'm living that dream."

Harris -- who began co-hosting Dancing with the Stars with Tom Bergeron prior to its Spring 2006 second season when she replaced Lisa Canning -- won't return for the show's tenth season, which premieres March 22.

"Samantha has been a brilliant part of [Dancing with the Stars] and we wish her the best of luck on The Insider," executive producer Conrad Green told People.


"She's done an incredible job. Some of the most memorable moments on the show have been facilitated by Samantha. I think we'll all walk away with enormous happy memories of working with one another."

In addition, Green said the search has begun for Bergeron's new co-host.

"I'm going to miss Samantha. We had a nice rapport off-camera and on," Bergeron told People.

"I could see that her workload was picking up on The Insider and then she started doing Entertainment Tonight Weekend. As somebody who's been known to juggle a few jobs myself, I know that that can pull you in eight different directions."

Bergeron added that he'd like to see Harris come back to Dancing with the Stars -- as a celebrity participant.


"I'm hoping this frees her up for us to have her as a contestant," he told People.






About The Author: Christopher Rocchio