Named as one of Electronic Media’s 10 Most Bankable Stars in Syndication and also ranked as one of the 20 Hottest Stars Right Now by Shape Magazine, Nancy O’Dell is co-anchor of Access Hollywood. In addition, O’Dell contributes reports to NBC News’s Today show and Dateline. A member of the Academy of Country Music, she has hosted and served as consulting producer of Nashville Star, a nationwide search for the next great country music artist, for USA Network, since March 2003. O’Dell was part of the on-air team that launched Access Hollywood in 1996, serving as weekend co-anchor and weekday correspondent until becoming co-anchor in January 1999. O’Dell has since earned the reputation as one of Hollywood’s leading entertainment journalists. Beyond covering events such as The Oscars, The Emmys, The Grammys and The Golden Globe Awards, she has hosted the national Golden Globes Arrivals Show the past four years with Dick Clark for NBC, and The Emmys Pre-Show for Fox in 1999 and for ABC in 2000. In 2002, she co-hosted NBC’s Emmys Post-Show. In addition, she has been a co-host of NBC’s network coverage of the Tournament of Roses Parade since 2000, the past four years with Today weatherman Al Roker. Additionally, O’Dell co-hosted the Hollywood Christmas Parade in 1999, 2000 and 2002. On April 12, 2004 she will co-host NBC’s broadcast of the Miss USA Pageant.

An award-winning journalist, O’Dell has been honored with three Associated Press Awards, two Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Awards, and is a five-time Emmy Award nominee. In addition, she was nominated two years in a row (1999 and 2000) for the prestigious Publicist Guild of America’s Press Award, recognizing excellence in entertainment reporting. O’Dell began her broadcast career as a reporter and anchor at WPDE-TV in Myrtle Beach, S.C. She later worked as morning news anchor and crime reporter at WCBD-TV in Charleston, S.C. Before joining Access Hollywood, she served as co-anchor and investigative reporter for NBC’s Miami station, WTVJ-TV.

Although O’Dell maintains a busy work schedule, she regularly makes time for philanthropic endeavors. In February 2002, she was inducted into the American Red Cross’s National Celebrity Cabinet, and she also serves as the 2004 National Ambassador Program celebrity spokesperson for the March of Dimes. In addition, she acts as an international board member for Best Buddies, a non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance the lives of people with intellectual disabilities. In June 2002, Best Buddies honored O’Dell with the organization’s Spirit of Leadership Award. This honor has previously been bestowed upon Muhammad Ali, Maria Shriver and Olympian Carl Lewis. O’Dell also serves as a Celebrity Ambassador for Childhelp USA, an organization committed to meeting the needs of abused and neglected children.

A native of South Carolina, O’Dell was inducted into that state’s Hall of Fame in 1998 as the youngest member ever in recognition of her journalistic success. O’Dell is a summa cum laude honors graduate of Clemson University.

Credit: robertklein.com