As seasoned entertainment news journalist and two-time Emmy-nominated TV personality, Samantha Harris may be best known for co-hosting the live ABC hit series, Dancing With the Stars – which averages more than 30 million viewers weekly.   One of her greatest honors was to host, alongside Regis Philbin, the official live pre-show for the 80th Annual Academy Awards, which garnered a viewership of nearly one billion people worldwide.

Harris recently joined CBS Television Distribution's The Insider as a fill-in host and correspondent.  The producers immediately put her on the red carpet during award show season to interview the nominees at the Oscars, Golden Globes, Grammys, SAGs, and People’s Choice Awards (where she herself went on stage to accept the trophy for Dancing’s win).   Harris is seen daily on the set of The Insider alongside Lara Spencer discussing Hollywood’s top headlines as well as giving the latest scoop from their interviews with film and TV’s biggest celebrities (such as Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Tom Hanks, George Clooney, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, Patrick Dempsey, Hugh Jackman and more).

Harris came to The Insider with a strong international fan base; she was seen in over 150 countries in 600 million homes during her four years as a host and correspondent for various shows on E! Entertainment Television.  In addition to writing, field producing and reporting daily for E! News, she co-hosted the network’s live award-show coverage for the Oscars, Golden Globes and Emmys.  Samantha was also the host of the premiere season of THS Investigates, a spin-off series from the producers of The E! True Hollywood Story, as well as a multitude of E! Specials.

In May 2009, Samantha can be seen filling in for host Meredith Vieira on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.  Morning show viewers have also enjoyed Samantha’s contributions as a special correspondent on ABC’s Good Morning America.  Additionally, Samantha also served many times as a guest co-host on ABC’s The View. 

Prior to joining E!, Samantha served as the co-host of the weekend edition for the network-syndicated entertainment news magazine Extra, where she interviewed hundreds of celebrities.  Additionally, as a full-time correspondent for the show, she always looked for inventive ways to approach stories.  So, for news stories with a twist, Samantha took to the stage performing with Cirque du Soleil, sang a duet with Wayne Newton during his live show in Las Vegas as well as danced her way into the arms of Patrick Swayze backstage while he performed in the musical Chicago.

Samantha’s other hosting credits include Fox’s The Next Joe Millionaire and AMC Access, a show produced by NBC’s Access Hollywood forthe AMC network. 

During her first days in Hollywood, Harris’ talent also extended to the stage and screen.  Hot off the North American tour Eric Idle Exploits Monty Python (where Samantha’s comedic, vocal and dance performance was a stand-out with audiences at Carnegie Hall, the Hollywood Bowl and other prestigious venues), CBS cast her as America’s sweetheart, “Mary Ann,” in its made-for-TV movie Surviving Gilligan’s Island.  Samantha’s other acting credits include: the multi-award winning Reefer Madness!: The New “Hit” Musical (original stage cast) as well as other television shows and films.

Samantha is a four-time cover girl for Muscle & Fitness HERS and has also graced the covers of FitParent, Pregnancy & Newborn, Pilates Style.  She has been featured in SELF, SHAPE, People, US Weekly, In Touch, Life & Style, and FHM magazines.  As a fitness enthusiast, she loves dancing, cardio-sculpting classes, yoga and hiking but will also confess… she’s a dessert fanatic!

Samantha actively participates in various charity events supporting the Operation Smile, Revlon Run/Walk for cancer research, Clothes Off Our Back, Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America, and Feeding America.

Born and raised in Hopkins, MN, by a rock concert promoter father and dancer mother – who together created and produced one of the country’s first renaissance festivals, King Richard’s Faire –   Samantha went on to graduate with honors from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism in Evanston, IL.  She currently resides in Los Angeles, CA, with her husband, Michael, and their daughter, Josselyn.