Longtime entertainment correspondent Nischelle Turner has made history this week, The Root has learned.
Variety reports that the Emmy-winning journalist has now been upgraded and will officially host Entertainment Tonight alongside colleague Kevin Frazier—making her the first Black woman in the show’s 40-year history to do so. With Frazier and Turner at the helm, they’ve both cemented their spots in history as the first Black duo to host the show, as well.
“For all those asking, Nischelle Turner has been doing the job but now it’s official,” Frazier commented in a post to social media congratulating Turner on the role. “And she gets the title and some other much deserved perks. She is so smart, so talented and has worked her butt off to get here.”
Turner also took to Instagram to express her gratitude while acknowledging the handful of women who set the standard and continue to inspire her to keep going, writing:
I’ve known this news for a couple weeks and have been thinking of what to say when it was released. Still today I don’t really have words so I’ll just say thank you. THANK YOU GOD! You are all being, all knowing and good ALL THE TIME! Thank you April Eaton for giving me that first vision of a Black Woman on television. Thank you Carole Simpson for your journey in unchartered territory. Thank you Oprah Winfrey for setting the platinum standard. Thank you Pat Harvey for being the best in the business. Thank you Nancy Parker for being my angel. Thank you Gayle King, Hota Kotbe, Robin Roberts, Tamron Hall and Joy Reid for leading by example.
Thank you Shaun Robinson, Shaneika Dabney, Sabrina Wilson, Tanika Ray, Monique Chenault and Tara August for being my sounding boards and sisters. Thank you Kelley Carter, Cari Champion, Jemele Hill, Beverly White, Yamiche Alcindor, Abby Phillip, MJ Acosta, April Ryan, Rene Marsh, Sara Sidner, Michaela Pereira and Stephanie Elam for being EXCELLENCE PERSONIFIED. Thank you Angelique Jackson, Mannie Holmes, Simone Corbett, Zuri Hall, Sibley Scoles, Teri Seymour, Sangita Patel, Rachel Lindsay, Nina Parker and Erin Lim for being continued and necessary examples of women of color in entertainment and, often for me, that unspoken source of strength.
Thank you Mary Hart for building this genre. Thank you Nancy O’dell for setting the table. My gratitude is deep and my commitment to representing is strong. I’m gonna flood your timeline today cause the thank you’s will continue.
The veteran journalist joined ET back in 2014, rising from correspondent to weekend co-host in just a few short years. Talk about Black HerStory; congrats Nischelle!