'All Good Things Must Come To An End': Tamera Mowry-Housley Announces She Is Leaving 'The Real' After 7 Years
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) -- Tamera Mowry-Housley announced on Monday that she will not be returning to co-host daytime talk show "The Real."
Mowry-Housley had been a host, alongside current hosts Loni Love, Adrienne Houghton and Jeannie Mai, since the show began in 2013. The show tapes at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank.
The actress and host said in an Instagram post that she will be pursuing other ventures and called the change "bittersweet."
"For seven years, my home and heart has been at 'The Real.' The friendships that I've made there will last a lifetime, and the people that I've had the blessing to interview have changed my life for the better," Mowry-Housley wrote.
"I'm so proud of what all the ladies and I have accomplished there, including two well-deserved NAACP Image Awards and a Daytime Emmy. However, all good things must come to an end, and it's with a bittersweet smile that I announce that I am moving on from 'The Real'," she added.
"To my fellow hosts, I love you, I will miss you, and I will always be there for you. Thank you for teaching me, supporting me, and loving all of me. Sisters forever," she continued. "I'll be rooting for you, as I look forward to spending more time with my family, pursuing amazing new opportunities, and embarking on the next chapter of my life."
Mowry-Housley said in the caption that she had "no intention" of sharing the news of her departure from "The Real" on Sunday in light of recent news about the passing of her childhood friend and former "Glee" actress Naya Rivera. Mowry-Housley said reports of her leaving the show were starting to spread and she wanted fans to hear it from her.
RELATED: Naya Rivera's Body Found At Lake Piru, Authorities Say
Mowry-Housley, who became a household name for her role alongside her identical twin Tia Mowry-Hardrict in the 1990s sitcom "Sister Sister," said she knew Rivera for years.
Earlier in the week as searches were ongoing for the "Glee" star before crews eventually located her body in the lake where she was last seen, Mowry-Housley shared a widely-spread photo of Rivera and her son Josey, saying "Let's pray they find her."
Once officials said the body discovered in the lake is believed to be Rivera, Mowry-Housley wrote a tribute to her friend on the platform.
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"Can't believe I'm writing this. My heart. So many emotions. So many memories," Mowry-Housley said. "My mind did not want to accept this. My sweet Naya. I love you. Will always love you. I'll never forget your sweet smile, your amazing voice, and your warmth and love that has always welcomed me. I knew as early as 9 years old you were going to grace us with so much talent and so much beauty. I'm so grateful to have been blessed with your presence for over 20 years. You took my breath away and always will. Another angel has gained her wings. My heart goes out to the Rivera family."
Mowry-Housley's sister Tia Mowry-Hardrict also shared her own tribute to Rivera, describing fun memories from childhood and adulthood. Hardrict said her family met Rivera through their brother, "Smart House" actor Tahj Mowry, who also shared a heartfelt message hoping for her safe rescue.
"We grew up together. We became adults together. We experienced so many firsts together. You were my first experience with everything; love, intimacy, heartbreak. We broke each others hearts and then mended them back together...more than once. I will never not think of you," Tahj said in an Instagram post.
Rivera's 4-year-old son says his mom boosted him back on to the deck of their rented pontoon boat before he looked back and saw her disappearing under the water, according to authorities. Rivera, 33, is presumed to have drowned in the lake. An autopsy will determine her exact cause of death.
