Access Hollywood Information

Access Hollywood is a weekday television entertainment news program covering events and celebrities in the entertainment industry. It was created by former Entertainment Tonight executive producer Jim Van Messel, and is currently directed by Robert Silverstein. In previous years, Doug Dougherty and later Christopher A. Berry directed the program. Access Hollywood primarily focuses on news in the music, television, and film industries.

The United States version began broadcasting on September 9, 1996, and is nationally syndicated in the United States. In 2003, a British version of the show began production and in an Irish version began in 2006 airing on the now defunct Channel 6, now known as 3e. In Canada, CTV Two has aired the program since September 5, 2011.

On September 7, 2010, Access Hollywood began broadcasting in high definition. On May 1, 2012, NBCUniversal Television Distribution announced it would renew Access Hollywood for three additional years through the 2014-15 season.

Hosts and correspondents

In the United States, the current host is Billy Bush (who also serves as the show's announcer and an uncredited senior executive producer) with Shaun Robinson, Kit Hoover, Michelle Beadle and Tim Vincent as correspondents, while Laura Saltman is the "Dish of Salt", Jill Martin is a guest correspondent and Scott Mantz is a movie critic.

Previous hosts include Giselle Fernández, Larry Mendte, Pat O'Brien, who hosted the show alongside Nancy O'Dell until late 2004, when he left to host the Entertainment Tonight spin-off The Insider, and O'Dell, who hosted the show alongside Bush until late 2009, when she left to co-host Entertainment Tonight. Giselle Fernandez and Larry Mendte were the show's original hosts when it debuted in 1996. Mendte also co-hosted the weekend edition with Nancy O'Dell. Previous correspondents include Steven "Cojo" Cojocaru, Jayde Donovan, Maria Menounos, Tony Potts, Amy Powell, Jeff Probst, and Rawley Valverde.

In the United Kingdom, the show was hosted by Kate Garraway and Vincent. In the Republic of Ireland, the show was hosted by Jenny Buckley on Channel 6 Ireland.

Segments

• AH Nation: which will allow viewers the opportunity to help producers select what is in the nightly show
• In Case You Missed It: where the show's staff discusses unique moments on television, film, music and the web
• Watch This: which suggests television shows that Access Hollywood's team of experts recommend
• The Final 45: will be a recap at the end of the show about the day's most important entertainment news
• Access Express: will separate fact from fiction and dispute daily entertainment stories or news that might be false

Access Across America

In 2005, Access Hollywood went on a month-long roadtrip they called Access Across America while the studio underwent a major overhaul. The show's new set was done in pastel colors with a modern flair, separating its look from other similar shows, including rival Entertainment Tonight. The new look also included a brand-new graphics package. Access Hollywood is taped at Studio 1 at NBC Studios in Burbank, former home of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

Spin-offs

The program has had some short-lived spinoffs in the last few years, including AMC Access for the AMC channel, and Real Access (the first teen-oriented entertainment news program, and the only attempt so far at an entertainment news program aimed at teens on television) for The N and Nickelodeon. The network most recently produced the African-American oriented TV One Access for the TV One cable channel. The programs also does entertainment segments for NBC's cable news channel, which are titled Access MSNBC.

Access Hollywood Live

A spinoff of Access Hollywood, called Access Hollywood Live, debuted on September 13, 2010 in high definition. The daytime talk show, hosted by Billy Bush and Kit Hoover (who also serves as a correspondent on the flagship program), features entertainment news stories and in-studio guests. The program was initially seen only on NBC owned-and-operated stations in six markets and Fox owned-and-operated stations in six other major markets, all on stations that already carry the flagship series; since September 2011, the program also began being distributed to non-network owned stations that also carry the flagship series.

Access Hollywood Live is recorded at NBC studios in Burbank, California and Studio 1A at Rockefeller Center, in New York City. On May 1, 2012 along with Access Hollywood's renewal for three additional seasons, NBCUniversal Television Distribution announced it would give Access Hollywood Live a third season renewal for the 2012-13 season.

Distributors throughout the years

The program is previously produced by NBC Studios and has changed distributors over the years, first with New World Television, then 20th Television (after News Corporation bought New World), followed by Warner Bros. Television Distribution, and then to NBC Enterprises when the network started up their own syndication division. Today, the NBCUniversal Television Distribution division of Universal Media Studios, in association with NBC's owned-and-operated station KNBC is solely responsible for its production and distribution since 1999.

On-air staff

Current on-air staff

Anchors

• Billy Bush - weeknights (2004"present)
• Shaun Robinson - weekends (1999-present)

Correspondents

• Laura Saltman (2004"present)
• Kit Hoover (2010"present)
• Michelle Beadle (2012"present)
• Scott Mantz - movie critic (2001"present)
• Jill Martin (2011"present)
• Tim Vincent (2005"present)

Former on-air staff

• Steven Cojocaru - fashion correspondent (2000"2003, later at Entertainment Tonight)
• Jayde Donovan - correspondent (2011)
• Giselle Fernández - anchor/correspondent (1996"1999)
• Larry Mendte - anchor/weekend anchor (1996"1997, now a commentator at WPIX-TV, WPHL-TV, and WGN-TV)
• Maria Menounos - correspondent (2005"2011, now at Extra)
• Pat O'Brien - anchor/correspondent (1997"2004, later at The Insider)
• Nancy O'Dell - anchor/correspondent (1996"2009, now at Entertainment Tonight)
• Tony Potts - weekend anchor/correspondent (1999"2011)
• Amy Powell - correspondent (?"?)
• Jeff Probst - correspondent (1996"1998)
• Rawley Verlade - correspondent (?"?)

Spoofs

• The show was parodied in the show Arthur in the special Arthur, It's Only Rock N' Roll when a spoof named Access Elwood interviewed the band U Stink.
• In the South Park episode "Free Hat", a show airs called "Excess Hollywood" with a look-alike of then host Pat O'Brien.
• Craig Ferguson often parodies Access Hollywood on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson in a segment called "Access Extratainment Tonight" (a portmanteau of Access Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight, and Extra) with Ferguson as "Barney Slash".
• In The Simpsons Movie the show is mentioned in an argument between Homer and Marge.