Maria Menounos leaving 'Extra' to 'explore other options'

Maria Menounos is leaving her hosting job at Extra to pursue other projects. A source close to the 35-year-old TV personality told Us Weekly that Menounos decided to leave the show after only two years in order to pursue other opportunities. "Maria was 100 percent not fired," the insider said. "The truth is, she decided months ago on her own to explore other options, as she knew her contract was coming up for renewal. She made this decision." Among Menounos' new projects is her new Oxygen reality show Chasing Maria Menounos. The show, which premiered on March 18, documents Menounos' personal and professional life, and the fact that she lives with her parents and boyfriend in the same house. While Page Six reported that Menounos' departure was related to clashes with her co-star Mario Lopez, the insider said "there is no bad energy." "Maria has so much going on with her reality show, and she's happy that she has so many options to explore right now," the source added.