What Is Leeza Gibbons’ Net Worth?
Leeza Gibbons, a prominent American talk show host and television personality, has accumulated a substantial net worth estimated at $40 million. This wealth is a result of her decades-long career in television, including hosting roles on shows like “Entertainment Tonight,” “Extra,” and her own talk show, “Leeza.” Her career extends beyond television hosting to business ventures and real estate investments, contributing to her financial success.
Career Highlights and Earnings
Gibbons’ career began at WSPA-TV in Spartanburg, South Carolina, followed by a co-hosting role on “PM Magazine” at KFDM-TV in Beaumont, Texas. In 1983, she moved to WCBS-TV in New York City, co-hosting “Two on the Town.”
Her time at “Entertainment Tonight” alongside Robb Weller, starting in 1984, significantly boosted her profile. She remained with the program for 26 years, solidifying her position in the entertainment industry. During this period, in 1993, she launched the syndicated daytime talk show “Leeza” on NBC, initially titled “John & Leeza from Hollywood” with John Tesh. After Tesh’s departure, the show was renamed “Leeza” and ran until 2000, earning 27 Daytime Emmy Award nominations and winning three.
From 2001 to 2003, Gibbons hosted and served as managing editor of “Extra.” She also hosted the PBS talk show “My Generation” from 2011 to 2014, winning a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lifestyle/Travel Host in 2013. In 2015, she won the seventh season of “The Celebrity Apprentice,” raising over $700,000 for her charity, Leeza’s Care Connection.
Gibbons also hosted “Blockbuster Top 25 Countdown with Leeza Gibbons,” which later became “Leeza Gibbons’ Hollywood Confidential.” She filled in for Meredith Vieira on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” in June 2008 and co-hosted “America Now” from 2011 to 2015.
Real Estate Assets and Investments
Leeza Gibbons has made strategic investments in real estate, contributing to her overall net worth. In 2011, she purchased a home in West Hollywood, California, for $1.199 million. Since 2012, she has used this property as a rental, generating approximately $12,000 per month in rental income.
In March 2018, Gibbons listed her Beverly Hills house for sale at $18.5 million. She sold the house in November 2018 for $15.5 million. Leeza and her husband Steve Henton purchased the house in 2014 for $7.95 million, resulting in a significant profit from the sale.
In August 2019, Leeza and Steve purchased a home in the Hancock Park neighborhood of Los Angeles for $5.46 million. This acquisition further diversifies her real estate portfolio.
Business Ventures
Gibbons has ventured into the business world with her mineral makeup line, Sheer Cover Studio. This line is a partnership with Guthy-Renker, a California-based marketing company, and is sold worldwide. Gibbons received the Icon Award from the Electronic Retailing Association in 2015 in recognition of her sales success.
Early Life and Education
Leeza Gibbons was born on March 26, 1957, in Hartsville, South Carolina, to Dr. Carlos and Jean Gibbons. She has two siblings, Carlos Jr. and Cammy. Growing up in Columbia, South Carolina, in the Whitehall housing subdivision, she attended Irmo High School. She then pursued journalism and mass communication at the University of South Carolina.
Personal Life
Leeza Gibbons has been married multiple times. Her first marriage to John Hicks lasted from 1980 to 1982. In 1989, she married British actor Christopher Quinten, with whom she had a daughter, Jordan. The couple divorced in 1991. That same year, Gibbons married actor and architect Stephen Meadows, with whom she had two sons, Nathan and Troy. They divorced in 2005. In 2011, Gibbons married New York Times-bestselling author Steven Fenton, the son of former Beverly Hills mayor Frank Fenton.
Alzheimer’s Advocacy
Leeza Gibbons has been heavily involved in advocating for health issues, particularly Alzheimer’s disease, after her mother succumbed to the illness in 2008. She received the Public Leadership in Neurology Award from the American Academy of Neurology in 2005. Gibbons was appointed by then-California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to the board overseeing the state’s stem cell research agency. In 2009, she published her book “Take Your Oxygen First: Protecting Your Health and Happiness While Caring for a Loved One with Memory Loss,” offering advice to families and caregivers.