Mary Hart Leaving 'Entertainment Tonight'

Longtime "Entertainment Tonight" host Mary Hart is leaving the show after her upcoming 30th season.

Hart said Thursday that it's time for a change, but she'll be leaving with mixed sentiments. It's not clear when her last day will be, but a television season traditionally ends in May.

The former English teacher from Sioux Falls, S.D., joined "Entertainment Tonight" in 1982, working most prominently with John Tesh. She's kept the job as the entertainment news industry grew around her. She is so closely associated with celebrity reporting that she has played herself in dozens of TV shows and movies.

Hart started her career as a beauty queen and model. She prepresented South Dakota in the 1970 Miss America pageant and was one of the top 10 finalists.

"ET" is the original entertainment newsmagazine and still leads in the ratings.

No replacement has been named. One potential candidate is Lara Spencer, who anchors "ET's" sister broadcast, "The Insider."