Mario Lopez

The Miss America Organization and TLC announced today that Mario Lopez will return as host of the 2010 Miss America Pageant when it is broadcast live from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday, January 30 at 8 PM ET. This marks his second consecutive year hosting the event, and his third time total for Miss America.

“I look forward to taking the stage again in January and helping crown the next Miss America,” said Lopez. “It’s great to be associated with such a respected and relevant organization, and TLC has turned the pageant into a must-watch event.”

From actor to host, producer to writer; Mario has already made his mark on Hollywood and he has no plans to stop. EXTRA has named him the single host of the daily nationally syndicated show. He will also continue his hosting duties on MTV’s highest rated program, America’s Best Dance Crew. This year, Mario released a children’s book entitled Mud Tacos, a vibrant story he co-wrote with his sister. Additionally, fans saw Mario revive his role as Dr. Mark Hamoui on the popular FX series Nip/Tuck.

“We’re thrilled Mario is returning to host the upcoming pageant. He is the consummate professional, and has unmatched charm and energy,” added Art McMaster, President and CEO of the Miss America Organization.

“Mario has proven himself as one of the most skilled hosts for live events, and helped make this year’s pageant the success it was. We welcome him back and know it will help make the 2010 pageant even better,” explains Brent Zacky, VP of Development for TLC.

For information on Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, please visit
www.planethollywood.com. For information on TLC, please visit
http://tlc.discovery.com.

Source: Miss America Press Release