There were tears, laughter, bloopers and a loving letter from her husband Bill as Giuliana Rancic signed off as the longtime anchor of E! News that DStv subscribers across Africa can see tonight (Tuesday) at 19:00 on E! Entertainment (DStv 124).
In Monday night's episode – always shown a
day later on E! Entertainment's channel feed in Africa and which will be
broadcast tonight on DStv – viewers will see Giuliana Rancic (40) give a
tearful goodbye as she relinquishes her Hollywood news perch after 14 years.
The final episode fittingly honoured Giuliana
Rancic by looking back at her biggest and hilarious on-air (and some off-air) bloopers
– like waving to Gwyneth Paltrow as she stood beside the red carpet, desperately
trying to get the star to come over, pleading that "Gwyneth, I always name you
best dressed".
Other inserts and look-backs viewers will see
tonight, include Giuliana's best TV moments like proposing to George Clooney in
2003, her countless hairstyles, and telling Miley Cyrus in 2008 "to stay sweet".
Maria Menounos who is replacing Giuliana Rancic was very
conspicuously absent as behind the scenes rumours of a feud have been swirling
the past few months.
At the end of the episode, sitting with co-presenters
Terrence Jenkins, Catt Sadler and Jason Kennedy, Giuliana Rancic's voice became
emotional as she shared her final thoughts and then started crying.
"I love you guys. You have made work so much
fun," said Giuliana as she started to cry and Jason reached out to put his hand
on her back. "You have made the past 14 years so much fun."
'We've been through
so much together'
"As far as the viewers," she said as Giuliana looked into the camera, "we've been through so much together, and you've helped
me every step of the way."
"Through trying to have a baby – those struggles.
Through getting frown lines; crows feet – you've seen me getting it all. And of
course breast cancer. That's honestly been the biggest struggle I've ever had
to deal with in my life. And it was all those messages from the viewers who
would watch every night. I thank you all for that."
Giuliana's husband Bill (44) who she met
during an interview she did for E! News
in 2006, attended the final episode.
At the end as the credit rolled, Bill walked
from behind the camera where he was watching onto the set to hug Giuliana Rancic as he
whispered, "I love you, baby".
'All the kids in her
class laughed'
Bill also wrote an open love letter to
Giuliana Rancic, entitled Giuliana: Why I'm So Proud.
"People don't give Giuliana enough credit,
she's got a master's degree in journalism. She's brilliant and just gets it."
"When people come
up to me and say, 'Tell your wife, 'Thank you.' I went in and got a mammogram
because of her.' That's her legacy. That's why I'm the luckiest man in the
world. She helped make a difference in people's lives. Handling breast
cancer with such class, such bravery. She turned a negative into a
positive and used her microphone wisely."
"The way you are on that red
carpet, asking questions that everyone wants to ask. Handling the
pressure..." he says. "The talent, the professionalism, and you're
doing it live. I'm biased, but to be honest, there's nobody better than you.”
"Even in recent months, through some of the harder times, you
showed nothing but grace under pressure," wrote Bill.
"You've dealt with worse and you've taken the high road, when
others wouldn't have, something you always do...That's something that makes me
love and respect you even more."
"I'll close by saying my wife is the definition of the
American Dream. A dream that's become even more important in recent years."
"She came to this country at a young age and could barely speak
English. All the kids in her class laughed when she stood up at 8 years old and
said she wanted to be an award-winning anchor someday. No one is laughing
now."
